The Miss America Competition LLC, operator of the iconic pageant, has filed for bankruptcy amidst a $500 million racketeering lawsuit against Florida developer Glenn Straub. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in West Palm Beach, accuses Straub of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to wrest control of the organization’s assets.
Allegations of Fraud and Misconduct
Miss America CEO Robin Fleming, who purchased the company in December 2022, claims Straub and his attorney, Craig Galle, engaged in a “fraud monstrous in scope and harm” to unlawfully assert ownership over Miss America. Fleming alleges Straub encouraged her to bid for the organization, knowing she would be a more acceptable buyer due to his own controversial history, including prior charges of battery.
Straub allegedly agreed to finance the deal with $4.1 million, but only provided a loan of $525,000 with an accelerated one-year repayment period instead of the initially promised three years. Fleming asserts that she repaid the loan in full but later faced threats and fraudulent documents from Straub claiming he was the rightful owner.
Ownership Dispute Intensifies
In March 2024, after Fleming refused to act as a proxy plaintiff in litigation Straub wanted to pursue, tensions escalated. Fleming alleges Straub verbally threatened her and sent letters asserting her termination from a non-existent employment relationship. According to the lawsuit, Straub then presented fraudulent documents to bolster his claim of ownership over the organization.
