Overlooking the pristine waters of the South Pacific, controversy was brewing at Fiji’s Pearl Resort & Spa during the Miss Fiji beauty pageant. On stage, 24-year-old MBA student Manshika Prasad had just been crowned Miss Fiji, clutching a bouquet of flowers. But shortly after her victory, the event took a dramatic turn.

According to one of the judges, the situation “turned really ugly.” The unfolding chaos saw beauty queens crowned and then dethroned, wild accusations, and the appearance of a mysterious figure with a personal connection to one of the contestants.

Two days after her win, Ms. Prasad was blindsided by a press release from Miss Universe Fiji (MUF) stating a “serious breach of principles” and announcing that “revised results” would soon be released. Hours later, Ms. Prasad learned she would not be representing Fiji at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico. Instead, runner-up Nadine Roberts, a 30-year-old model and property developer from Sydney with Fijian heritage, would take her place.

The press release alleged that the voting had been rigged to favor a “Fiji Indian” contestant, purportedly to benefit the event’s manager financially. Devastated, Ms. Prasad took to social media, announcing a break and hinting that the public was unaware of many details. Meanwhile, Ms. Roberts expressed support for her fellow contestants, thanking Miss Universe Fiji for its “swift action.”

However, the participants and judges felt something was amiss. “Everything had been running so smoothly,” said Melissa White, one of the seven judges and a marine biologist from New Zealand who was brought in to evaluate the charity and environmental aspects of the pageant. “It was such a great night, and everyone was getting along so well,” she recounted.

During the competition’s finale on Friday night, judges were asked to cast their votes for the next Miss Fiji. Jennifer Chan, a US-based TV host and beauty expert, said Ms. Prasad was the clear winner, not only based on her stage presence but also her interactions with other contestants and her modeling skills. “I was 100% confident that Manshika was the strongest candidate to represent Fiji,” she said.

With four out of seven judges’ votes, Ms. Prasad was initially declared the winner, leaving many to question how the results could have changed so dramatically.