Miss Universe Fiji winner Manshika Prasad reinstated after runner-up named as winner

A banned Australian businessman has denied any connection to this year’s Miss Universe Fiji after the licensee voted to install his wife as the winner — despite judges voting for someone else.

Manshika Prasad (right) was crowned Miss Universe Fiji 2024, until the pageant’s licensee attempted to install runner-up Nadine Roberts (left) instead.

A banned Australian businessman has denied he had anything to do with having his estranged wife installed as Miss Universe Fiji over the woman the judges initially selected.

The controversy has transfixed Fiji, with opinion divided over who should go on to represent the nation at the competition final in Mexico.

Long-time Sydney resident and former The X Factor contestant Nadine Roberts was named runner-up in the Miss Fiji pageant after judges voted for Manshika Prasad by four votes to three.

But a representative for the pageant licensee — Lux Projects Bali and Lux Projects Fiji — said the ­licensee’s vote also had to be counted.

That representative then cast a vote for Roberts, causing a tie — and used their discretion to install her as the winner. Ms Roberts is not accused of any wrongdoing in relation to the incident.

Manshika Prasad was crowned Miss Universe Fiji 2024.

On Friday, the pageant’s contracted organiser Grant Dwyer issued a statement confirming original winner Ms Prasad would represent Fiji at Miss Universe in Mexico in November.

“Based on an official call with the Miss Universe Organisation, we have been advised to confirm Manshika Prasad as the rightful winner and express our support for her representation of Fiji at Miss Universe International,” the statement read. “This has been a distressing time for Manshika Prasad, the other finalists, the judges, the sponsors and the organisers of what was an incredible event.”

Nadine Roberts and Jamie McIntyre.

Mr Dwyer’s statement dismissed claims the licensee was entitled to the vote that saw Ms Roberts announced as the winner on the Miss Universe Fiji website, despite judges voting for Ms Prasad.

“It is now time to unite as a nation and rally behind Manshika Prasad as she represents Fiji on the world stage at Miss Universe,” the statement concluded.

Social media for the pageant licensee Lux Projects Bali feature multiple videos of Ms Roberts’ husband Jamie McIntyre discussing real estate opportunities in Bali, and the only listed contact number is his personal mobile.

In texts to The Daily Telegraph, Mr McIntyre strenuously denied being either a director or shareholder of Lux Projects Bali or Fiji, and said he and Ms Roberts had been separated for months.

Mr McIntyre said he and Ms Roberts have been separated for months.

Ms Roberts (pictured) and Ms Prasad have both laid claim to the crown.

He also shared screenshots of texts from a person identified as a “Lux Property Manager” who invoked their position as the “director of Lux Fiji and Lux Bali” to vote for Ms Roberts and install her as the winner over Ms Prasad.

When asked why he had such specific knowledge of those discussions, Mr McIntyre said: “I’m an adviser to my ex-partner.”

The saga of the pageant’s true winner has captivated Fiji for days, as Ms Roberts and Ms Prasad both stuck to their claims to the crown.

Ms Prasad (left) after her victory.

Ms Roberts and Mr McIntyre were well known on the Gold Coast before they moved overseas around 2022.

Mr McIntyre and his brother Dennis are serving 10-year bans from managing corporations, which conclude in 2026 after the Federal Court found they were running “unregistered managed investment schemes” and were “financially incompetent”.

Ms Roberts has previously won Miss Grand Fiji 2014 and Miss Earth Australia 2014, and competed in the Miss Universe Australia NSW state finals in 2019.

Ms Prasad grew up in Fiji but is studying ­business at a Sydney University.

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Originally published as Miss Universe Fiji winner Manshika Prasad reinstated after runner-up named as winner