Miss New Jersey said she won't give in to an anonymous attempt to blackmail her.
Speaking at a July 5 news conference in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Amy Polumbo said an anonymous party threatened to release personal photographs of her, while demanding she resign her crown by July 6.
Polumbo's lawyer, Anthony Caruso, said that starting last week, the 22-year-old beauty contest winner, her family, and officials in the Miss New Jersey Education Foundation received packages with pictures of her, along with threats to release them if she didn't step down.
Caruso said the pictures show her with some friends and may have been photos she posted years ago on a private Internet site. While not revealing details about the photographs, he said "I don't think the photos are that bad. The people posting this blackmail scheme are trying to make these photos out to be worse than I think they are."
Polumbo won the Miss New Jersey title in June, giving her the right to compete in the next Miss America competition. Miss America Organization officials said they are aware of the situation, but deem it the responsibility of New Jersey pageant official.