Rhode Island native and 2012 Miss Universe winner Olivia Culpo has been embroiled in a legal controversy over a photo shoot at the Taj Mahal during her 10-day trip to India to celebrate female empowerment and to spread HIV/AIDS awareness.

The Hindustan Times had said earlier this week that officials from the Archaelogical Survey of India are going to file a police complaint against her because the photo shoot was carried out without permission from ASI.  According to the Associated Press, Police Inspector Sushant Gaur said Culpo was violating India's Heritage Act.

Despite all this, Culpo claims that she had reservations about doing it and that she didn't want to. She figured she was just following the standard operating procedure.

"I mean, I'm an employee of the Miss Universe organization and following directions given to me," Culpo said to the Providence Journal. "I guess their vision was, 'What's better to identify India than the Taj Mahal?' But unfortunately it's something that was highly offensive. Honestly, I did say out loud at one point, 'Isn't this a little inappropriate?'"

"It's upsetting to me that I was a part of that," Culpo added. "It's really upsetting because I loved my visit to India, and I would love nothing more than to go back, even in the near future."

Culpo could face up to two years in jail as well as a $1,600 fine.

"As part of these videos, we sometimes incorporate sponsors into these shoots," said a statement from The Miss Universe Organization. "The filming that took place outside the Taj Mahal never intended to be used as a commercial nor was it meant in any way to be disrespectful."