Controversy continues to swirl over the most recent Miss USA pageant and the two women who have worn the 2023 crown.
First, the original winner Noelle Voigt resigned under murky circumstances, citing a need to focus on her mental health at the time.
In the days that followed however, NBC News obtained a copy of the resignation letter Voigt sent to the Miss USA organization. In that letter, Voigt alleged that the pageant’s CEO had created a toxic work environment.
She also wrote that allegations she raised about a sexual harassment incident went uninvestigated.
Now the woman who was awarded the crown in the wake of Voigt’s resignation is raising her own concerns.
Savannah Gankiewicz posted on social media that she has received death threats and online hatred since taking over as Miss USA.
“Since I’ve gotten this title, I’ve dealt with a lot of bullying and harassment, and it really breaks my heart,” she said in a video shared last week on X (formerly Twitter).
Gankiewicz has held the title for less than a month. She was crowned in a special coronation in Waikiki just days after Voigt’s May 6 resignation.