Former Miss Russia faces drug charges

Anna Malova has been accused of using stolen prescription pads to obtain painkillers and other drugs from pharmacies in New York. In her defense, Anna Malova pleaded not guilty in state Supreme Court in Manhattan to 44 charges of petty larceny, forgery and criminal possession of controlled substances.The former beauty queen had been arrested in 2010 on similar charges in a case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney s office which still remains pending.Malova requested attorney that she be evaluated for the state s judicial diversion program, in which she could avoid a potential jail sentence and have the charges dismissed, instead getting court-monitored treatment for drug addiction. This was approved later.Malova was crowned Miss Russia in 1998, and was a top-ten finalist in the Miss Universe pageant later that year. She later moved to New York to work as a model.