Dayana Mendoza

For clinching the coveted title, Mendoza received lavish prizes that included a tiara that was reportedly worth more than $100,000, cash, a rent-free high-end New York City flat, and a bounty of designer shoes, bags and beauty products. As she did during her modeling days, Mendoza also traveled extensively, but this time to lecture on humanitarian issues and to the promote HIV/AIDS education. After her win, Mendoza led a seemingly fairytale existence, until semi-nude photos of her surfaced months later. The photos were used in a sexy jewelry ad campaign that she had appeared in before signing up as a Miss Universe candidate. While there were rumors that Mendoza would be stripped off her title, the organization came to her defense, noting that it did not consider the photos pornographic in nature. In March 2009, she incited a barrage of anger and ridicule for her comments that detailed her visit to a prison camp at Guantanamo Bay. On her blog, Mendoza said the trip was "a lot of fun," and wistfully added at the end of her entry that she did want to leave as the place was "so calm and beautiful." Her blog entry was promptly removed from the Miss Universe website. In 2012, Mendoza's business savvy was put on display as one of the contestants on Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 2004-), which also included castmates Clay Aiken, Deborah Gibson and Adam Carolla, among others.By Candy Cuenco