Sheena Monnin, former Miss Pennsylvania USA who falsely claimed the pageant was fixed, says she's shocked by $5M ruling

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Miss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin competes during the 2012 Miss USA Presentation Show in Las Vegas.

/ AP Photo/Miss Universe Organization, File, Darren Decker

(CBS/AP) PITTSBURGH - Pennsylvania beauty queen Sheena Monnin, who resigned after alleging that the 2012 Miss USA pageant had been fixed, says she is stunned by an arbitrator's ruling that she must pay the pageant organization $5 million for defamation.

Pictures: Beauty queens in trouble with the law

The former Miss Pennsylvania USA tells the Pittsburgh Tribune- Review that the "most logical course" would be to contest the ruling, but she's considering her options.

Monnin resigned in June after alleging that the finalists of the May Miss USA Pageant in Las Vegas had been chosen in advance, the Tribune Review reports.

Arbitrator Theodore Katz says Monnin's accusations were false, harmful and malicious and cost the pageant a $5 million fee from a potential 2012 sponsor.

Monnin points to a Miss USA contract clause giving top pageant officials the power to pick the top five finalists and the winner, but a company official calls that a catch-all that's never been used.

According to The Tribune-Review, Katz claims Monnin accusations stemmed from frustration at failing to make it into the top 15. He said she was also upset because of the pageant's decision to allow trangender competitors.

8 Photos

Beauty queens in trouble with the law

View the Full Gallery »

10 Comments +

Add a Comment


by dontforget911 January 2, 2013 6:00 AM EST: She should contest the ruling to expose the pageant's process. She can always sign a contract to pose for Playboy to come up with the money to pay.; Reply to this comment


by OliverHolz January 2, 2013 4:34 AM EST: Actually, she *correctly* observed the pageant is fixed, top pageant officials can arbitrarily select both top-5 finalists and the winner. The "judging" activities are fake and meaningless.
As per the contract.; Reply to this comment


by royalstar05 January 1, 2013 6:30 PM EST: She doesnt have the 5 mill so she will pull a Trump and file bankruptcy and it will be done with.; Reply to this comment


by rwsmith29456 January 1, 2013 2:38 PM EST: "How could they not pick ME????" Anyway, it still sounds severe.; Reply to this comment

by decotoguy January 1, 2013 1:09 AM EST

I guess this lady Sheena Monnin is not one that worships in the CATHEDRAL of WILLFULL SELF-DECEPTION,
like so many Americans do.
She saw right through those Practitioners of Deception, the deceit big BUSINESS fosters in the minds of willfull Americans.
Yes, I'll say Sheena Monnin is a HERO of the Human Race.
America needs more people to step up and speak thier mind.

Reply to this comment


by FormerUSMCSergeant January 1, 2013 8:35 AM EST: And if they defame in the process, they'll pony-up just like this ditz will.

by twmat311 December 31, 2012 1:10 PM EST

From what I read, her reported comments were defamatory by the letter of the law, but wow, $5 million? Does Trump have some other agenda here? How does a non-Trump come up with that kind of money?

Reply to this comment


by jaglenn1 January 1, 2013 8:07 PM EST: The 5 mil. is what they lost as a result of her accusations.They lost a sponsor.that was gonna pay them that much. Lawsuits are always for actual losses.