Joe Exotic, the controversial star of Tiger King, has opened up about his surprising wedding to fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado while both are serving time in prison.
The 62-year-old, currently serving a 21-year federal sentence, made headlines earlier this month when he revealed that he had tied the knot with Jorge, who is incarcerated due to immigration-related charges.
Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is serving his sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth after being convicted in 2019 for hiring hitmen to kill his rival, Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue.
Meanwhile, Jorge is facing legal troubles related to his immigration status.
Their unlikely romance has drawn plenty of attention, especially considering the circumstances of their union.
The Details of Joe Exotic’s Prison Wedding
During a candid interview on 2DayFM’s Jimmy & Nath Show, Joe Exotic opened up about the nature of his marriage, answering a rather personal question about whether the couple had consummated their union.
“No… absolutely not,” Joe quickly responded, clearing up any confusion about their intimate life behind bars.
Joe also discussed the challenges his husband, Jorge, might face. “He is going to be deported.
I don’t want anything happening to him at the border, like the cartel kidnapping him because everybody thinks I am a millionaire,” Joe explained, highlighting the dangerous situation his husband could be in once he’s released from prison.
A Surprising Announcement and Wedding Photoshopped Snap
Joe shocked his fans by announcing his marriage on Twitter, sharing a photoshopped image of the couple in suits for their special day.
In his post, Joe proudly introduced his new husband, writing, “Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado.”
The announcement came shortly after Joe revealed their engagement in October, calling Jorge “amazing” and from Mexico, and stating his desire to marry him in prison while also hoping for asylum after their release.
This unexpected step in Joe’s life comes after he had submitted a marriage application to the prison.
Despite their challenging circumstances, both men remained hopeful about the future.
They continued to keep faith that Joe’s ongoing legal appeal to overturn his conviction would succeed, with Joe claiming to have new evidence that could help his case.
Legal Battles and Hope for the Future
Joe Exotic’s legal woes have been extensive. In 2019, he was convicted on 17 federal charges of animal abuse, along with two counts of attempted murder for hire in relation to the plot to kill Carole Baskin.
His sentence was originally set at 22 years, but after a lengthy legal battle, an appeals court in 2021 reduced his sentence by one year due to errors in how the murder charges were handled.
Joe was eventually re-sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Despite these setbacks, Joe remains optimistic, claiming he has gathered “video confessions under oath” and “700 phone recordings of federal agents” that could help him with his case.
His story, and the strange circumstances surrounding his life, were prominently featured in the popular Netflix series Tiger King, which documented his career as a zookeeper and his bitter feud with Baskin.