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In true Joe Exotic fashion, the larger-than-life star of Tiger King has once again shocked fans, this time by announcing that he’s gotten married from behind bars.
Currently serving a 21-year sentence in federal prison, Joe Exotic, real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage, has revealed that he has married fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado, continuing his rollercoaster love life even while locked up. Sharing the news online, the 61-year-old flamboyant former zoo owner declared, “Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado.”
This marks the third marriage for Exotic, who first rose to international fame during the early days of the pandemic thanks to the wildly popular Netflix docuseries Tiger King. His first marriage, to Travis Maldonado, ended in tragedy in 2017 when Travis accidentally shot himself at the age of 23. Just two months later, Exotic married Dillon Passage, but that relationship fizzled out by 2020, with divorce proceedings following shortly after.
Joe Exotic’s new husband Jorge, who is 33 and originally from Mexico, was first introduced to Exotic’s fans back in October when Joe excitedly revealed their engagement. In a typically candid post, he said: “Meet Jorge Marquez, he is 33. He is so amazing and is from Mexico.” He also hinted at the couple’s hopes for the future, including plans for marriage in prison and a possible life together outside the United States: “Now, the quest of getting married in prison and getting him asylum or we be leaving America when we both get out. Either way, I wish I would have met him long ago.”
Credit: instagram.com/joe_exotic
Joe Exotic has remained a headline-grabbing figure even while incarcerated. In 2019, he was convicted on 17 federal charges related to animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder-for-hire in a plot to kill his longtime rival, Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin. His initial sentence was 22 years, which was later reduced by one year following a court appeal.
Despite his incarceration, Exotic has continued to court public attention with appeals for a presidential pardon, run for political office, and now, this surprise wedding. As the man who once said he would never be forgotten, Joe Exotic is certainly living up to that promise, even if it’s from a prison cell.
