UGLY BUSINESS

Beauty Queen Stripped of Title Amid Shocking Felony Case

The pageant winner’s reign ended after just nine days.

A national pageant revoked its titleholder’s crown just over a week after her victory.

Beauty queen Mekyla Li, representing Massachusetts, won the Miss Grand USA competition in Las Vegas on August 10. In an Instagram post, Li wrote that she was “on cloud nine” over her win.

But on August 19, the Miss Grand USA organization released a statement on Instagram that read, “Miss Grand USA announces the termination of Mekayla Li’s reign and her release from the Miss Grand USA title and all associated duties.”

In its statement, which misspelled Li’s first name, the pageant stated that it terminated her title “in accordance with contractual policies outlined by the Miss Grand USA organization,” without specifying which policies Li may have violated. The organization closed with a request for “all dialogue surrounding this transition remain respectful.”

Although the reasons for stripping Li of her title were not made public, People reported Thursday that Li’s ongoing legal case and previous marriage appear to conflict with the pageant’s eligibility requirements.

People said it reviewed court records showing Li’s involvement in an ongoing criminal case and civil suit.

The outlet reported that Li was arrested on November 24, 2024, over an alleged hit-and-run, and now faces charges for causing non-serious injury and causing permanent serious injury. At her arraignment on March 19, Li pleaded not guilty to both.

The Looker did not immediately hear back from representatives for Mekyla Li or Miss Grand USA for comment.

Li was scheduled to compete at the Miss Grand International stage on October 10 in India.

Her successor has yet to be announced, but the national competition’s first runner-up is Miss Grand Indiana, Victoria Oluwakotanmi.

A civil complaint reportedly alleges that two defendants, Li and Michael Scobey, were in a vehicle that drove into oncoming traffic and collided with another vehicle.

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BEAUTY & DISGRACE

Miss USA Contestant Loses Title Over Shocking Allegations

Roosa Rahkonen

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Plaintiff Anna Mercedes Aoun said she is seeking damages after suffering “catastrophic injuries” and “permanent disability.” She also claimed that the two defendants fled the scene and did not call 911.

People also reported that Li had previously been married from August 2018 to December 2019, which conflicts with Miss Grand USA’s eligibility rules barring candidates who have ever “been married or pregnant.”

The pageant’s website says candidates “must have a clean personal record with no criminal history, scandalous background, or participation in adult content or activities deemed inappropriate by MGI.”

Miss Grand USA’s criteria also require competitors to stand 168 cm (approximately 5-foot-6) barefoot, be between the ages of 18–35, and be assigned female at birth.

According to her website, Li was crowned Miss Asia USA in 2025 and is a “psychology scholar” with Chinese and South African parentage. Her biography says she is “recognized for her work at the intersection of global identity, representation, and impact.”

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STOP THE MUSIC

Beauty Queen Halts Pageant Over Shocking Costume Controversy

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The day after her win, Li wrote, “Whatever comes after tonight, I will always carry this moment with me—not simply because I won, but because of the woman I became along the way.”

One week later, on August 18, Li wrote on Instagram, “The crown is on, the lights are waiting, and I’m ready to make this year count and see just how grand this journey can be.”

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Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

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