Nicaragua Charges Local Owner of Miss Universe Franchise With Treason, Organized Crime

MEXICO CITY—Nicaragua’s authorities charged the proprietor of the native Miss Universe franchise with treason, organized crime and inciting hatred as a part of a plot to overthrow President Daniel Ortega’s regime two weeks after the nation’s first victory within the pageant.

Nicaraguan police accused the competition’s native organizer, Karen Celebertti, a previous magnificence queen and proprietor of a modeling company, her husband and son of rigging contests in order that antigovernment winners would emerge on the pageants.