In a recent announcement on social media, Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic from the Netflix docuseries Tiger King, revealed that he married fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado. This marks his third marriage and follows an earlier declaration that he intended to wed, according to People magazine.
Joe Exotic, who became a global sensation in 2020 through the Emmy-nominated Netflix docuseries Tiger King, gained fame as the eccentric owner of a private zoo, capturing the attention of viewers during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The news of his marriage was shared alongside a digitally altered photograph posted on social media, showing both Maldonado-Passage and his new husband dressed in matching tuxedos and white hats beneath a floral wedding arch. "I have never been prouder of someone. I present to you my husband, Jorge Flores Maldonado," he wrote.
The pair reportedly met while incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, where both are serving their sentences. Flores Maldonado is serving time for immigration-related issues, while Maldonado-Passage is serving a 21-year sentence following his conviction in 2020 for attempting to hire a hitman to murder animal rights activist Carole Baskin and for multiple wildlife violations.
In earlier statements, Maldonado-Passage expressed his admiration for his new husband. "He is so amazing and is from Mexico," he said, according to a report by TMZ. "We love each other very much, spend every minute of the day together."
הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם
Their relationship developed behind bars. "After our release, we plan to seek better prospects either through a request for asylum or by leaving the USA," stated Maldonado-Passage.
Maldonado-Passage's legal troubles stem from a bitter rivalry with Carole Baskin, an animal rights activist who manages a big cat sanctuary in Florida. He was convicted in 2019 of attempting to hire a hitman to murder Baskin, offering $10,000 to an undercover FBI agent during a recorded meeting in December 2017. He was also found guilty on multiple counts of animal abuse, including killing five tigers and selling tiger cubs.
"All I did was build a zoo, and some people were very jealous. Then they put me in prison," said Maldonado-Passage, according to the Mirror.
In addition to his legal battles, Maldonado-Passage faced health challenges. He was treated for prostate cancer while in prison and claimed that he was not receiving proper medical care. In recent social media posts, he credited Flores Maldonado with helping him through these difficulties. "He has gotten me through so much fighting cancer under these conditions," he wrote, as reported by TMZ.
Maldonado-Passage's personal life has been tumultuous. Before his marriage to Flores Maldonado, he was married to Dillon Passage from 2017 to 2021 and to Travis Maldonado from 2015 until Travis's death in 2017 from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 23.
The former zoo operator also made several attempts to secure a presidential pardon, previously requesting clemency from both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, but his efforts were unsuccessful. In June 2023, he announced his intent to run for president.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.