Miss USA 2022 ended in major controversy: winner R’Bonney Gabriel was crowned in October 2022, then contestants publicly alleged the pageant had been rigged. The Miss Universe Organization suspended Miss USA president Crystle Stewart, launched an independent investigation, and took over the Miss USA program while reviewing the claims.

What happened

After the crowning, several contestants said they felt the outcome was unfair and used social media to voice concerns. The backlash spread quickly, and the organization responded by suspending Stewart and investigating possible favoritism or conflicts of interest.

Why people still talk about it

The story didn’t end with the 2022 pageant itself. Later reporting tied the incident to a broader pattern of Miss USA turmoil, including leadership changes and later resignations, which kept the controversy in the public eye.

Who won

R’Bonney Gabriel won Miss USA 2022 and went on to represent the United States at Miss Universe. She denied the rigging allegations at the time.

If you want the longer version, I can give you a clean timeline of the controversy from the 2022 crowning through the later resignations.