Genesis Davila, Miss Florida USA 2017, Files Lawsuit Against Miss USA Pageant Owners

Genesis Davila was recently stripped of her Miss USA crown, after being accused of cheating. Davila hosted a press conference on Monday to declare her innocence — while announcing that she is filing a $15 million defamation lawsuit against the pageant owners, and executive producer Grant Gravitt.

Miss Florida USA 2017 Genesis Davila Claims Her Innocence

Gravitt accused Davila of breaking pageant rules by receiving professional help for her hair and makeup stylings. The producer insisted that evidence of Davila’s rule-breaking was a photo she posted on her Instagram.

Richard Wolfe, Davila’s attorney, reportedly filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, asking a judge to order an emergency injunction restoring her Miss USA crown.

The lawyer presented a large photo of the Instagram post Gravitt referred to as evidence and highlighted that the date of the Instagram photo was marked for July 9, 2016 — eight days before the Miss USA contest.

Wolfe argued that Gravitt intentionally cut off the date on the Instagram post in order to falsely smear Davila’s name.

“This is the smoking gun,” Wolfe revealed. “No one is going to have their hair and makeup done nine days in advance of a pageant.”

Davila was crowned Miss Florida on July 16 after competing against 64 other women — her title was taken away from her just six days later.

“I would first like everyone to know that I am innocent,” Davila stated during the press conference. “All of these false allegations have taken me completely by surprise. I have face many challenges in my life, but nothing like this.”

“I am honest and a hard worker who was raised with ideals and principles,” the pageant winner added. “I am putting all of my faith in my attorney and the legal system to prove my innocence and save my reputation.”

According to the lawsuit, Gravitt also accused Davila of lying about her US citizenship forcing her to hire a lawyer to prove that she was indeed a citizen of the US.

Davila was born in Arroyo, Puerto Rico and is of Afro-Puerto Rican heritage. She won Miss World Puerto Rico in 2014 and represented Puerto Rico at the Miss World 2014 in London.