bdmetronews Desk ॥ Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray shut down talk that an alleged topless photo of herself which started circulating online over the weekend was real, firmly stressing that the picture is bogus.
“We want to inform the public that the photo is fake and digitally altered,” her lawyer Joji Alonso said in a statement released yesterday.
Gray’s legal counsel said that they are actively coordinating with authorities to hold whoever is “behind this scheme” accountable so that they can “face penal sanctions accordingly.”
“We will likewise take legal action against those involved in the manufacture and publication of [the] said photo,” Alonso warned.
The lawyer added that an unnamed tabloid had planned to release the suspicious photo, which is expected to smear the beauty queen’s reputation.
“We strongly denounce this vicious attempt to tarnish the good name of Ms. Gray. At a time when fake news is prevalent, we firmly urge the public to be discerning and critical of what they see and share on social media,” Alonso added.
Shortly before posting the statement on social media, the lawyer shared a video of a commercial shoot where the 26-year-old beauty queen is seen apparently topless.
“When someone circulates photos giving a false impression of nudity…” Alonso wrote, then linked a video of Gray’s 2014 advertisement for local clothing brand Bench, where she’s seen singing in a bath tub getting ready for Valentine’s.
