Star from Tiger King reveals engagement while in prison, US News reports
Tiger King star Joe Exotic has revealed that he is engaged to another prison inmate.
The 61-year-old, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado, made the announcement on X, stating his intention to marry 33-year-old Jorge Marquez.
“He is so amazing and is from Mexico,” he wrote. “Now, the quest of getting married in prison and getting him asylum or we [will] be leaving America when we both get out.
“Either way, I wish I would have met him long ago.”
Exotic gained fame through the popular Netflix documentary series Tiger King, which documented his rivalry with a big cat sanctuary operated by Carole Baskin.
He is currently serving a 21-year prison sentence for attempting to hire individuals to kill Baskin, who had accused him of mistreating his animals.
Prosecutors alleged that Exotic offered $10,000 to an undercover FBI agent to carry out the murder, stating: “Just like follow her into a mall parking lot and just cap her and drive off.”
Exotic has consistently denied the allegations, with his legal team claiming he was not serious.
The 61-year-old was also convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs, and falsifying wildlife records.
His zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, has since been shut down.
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Reports indicate that Exotic has applied for a marriage license to marry Mr Marquez while in federal prison.
Exotic was previously involved in an unofficial three-way marriage with his long-time partner John Finlay and then 19-year-old Travis Maldonado. Mr Maldonado and Exotic later officially tied the knot in 2015, but Finlay became estranged from them.
In October 2017, Mr Maldonado tragically passed away from a self-inflicted, accidental gunshot wound.
Two months later, Exotic married Dillon Passage, but Passage later announced his intention to file for divorce.
