Former 2023 Miss USA winner Noelia Voigt recently resigned her title, alleging inappropriate behavior and a toxic work environment.
The model signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) which reportedly prevented her from coming forward about her experiences, but sources close to the star reported on the alleged wrongdoings, according to The Independent. Reports from a person close to the situation noted Voigt was the subject of inappropriate advances by the driver of a car she traveled in during the 2023 Florida Christmas parade. She reportedly felt she “couldn’t escape” the vehicle, and the handler did not intervene to assist, according to The Independent.
Claudia Michelle, former social media director for Miss USA and a friend of Ms. Voigt, said the driver was an older man. She went on to say he made “really inappropriate advances,” toward Voigt, according to The Independent.
“He was saying, how he was older and he had money, that kind of thing,” Michelle told The Independent, Wednesday.
She said that the older man told Voigt he wanted to spark up a relationship with her, and details his intentions, which made Voigt feel highly uncomfortable.
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“She literally couldn’t escape it. What was she going to do, step out of the car and walk away in the middle of the parade?” Michelle told The Independent.
“She was stuck,” she said.
Michelle was also previously resigned from her position as Miss USA, said Voigt’s security was not adequate, and she did not receive the team and support system that was required for her role.
“The role of the handler in the pageant world is to almost be like a bodyguard in the sense where they’re the eyes, ears and voice for Noelia – to kind of speak up,” she told The Independent.
“It would have been in that handler’s best interest to speak up and say something, you know, ‘that’s not appropriate, that’s not okay,’ right then and there, and squash it out.”(RELATED: Andy Cohen Breaks Silence On Sexual Harassment Allegations)
Another source close to the matter told The Independent that Voigt brought up security concerns in previous meetings, and was “basically dismissed” as though it “wasn’t a big deal,” according to The Independent.
Watch the moment Voigt was crowned Miss USA:
Post-crowning interview: