Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, the flashy star of the Netflix documentary series Tiger King, has gotten married again. This time, the 62-year-old tied the knot with fellow prisoner Jorge Flores Maldonado in a ceremony held inside his Florida prison. The announcement was made on social media and included a photo of the couple dressed in matching suits and hats, standing in front of a digitally altered background showing a sunny park.
While the news may surprise some, it might not come as a complete shock to those who have followed Exotic’s life since his rise to fame and his later legal troubles. Exotic’s new marriage is a big deal, especially given his current situation. He is serving a 21-year prison sentence for planning to kill Carole Baskin, his rival in the big cat breeding world, and for breaking federal wildlife laws.
His conviction, which came after the events shown in the extremely popular Netflix series, originally got him a 22-year sentence, but it was later reduced by one year. Even though he’s in prison, Exotic says he is innocent and is currently working on an appeal, which he believes will succeed, per NY Post.
Joe Exotic of Tiger King fame is married again
He has even said that if his appeal works out, he and his new husband plan to leave the U.S. He has also mentioned another plan where he would try to get asylum for his husband. These are just some of the many complicated details surrounding this latest chapter in his life.
Flores Maldonado, a 33-year-old from Mexico, is in prison for immigration-related crimes. His relationship with Exotic developed while they were both behind bars, and they announced their engagement last October before recently getting married. Exotic has talked openly about how much he loves his new husband and how supportive he has been during some health struggles.
The tweet that showcased the wedding read, “Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado.”
He has even publicly asked former President Trump for help in getting out of prison so he can spend the rest of his life with Flores Maldonado outside of prison walls. Exotic was previously married to Travis Maldonado, but that relationship ended tragically in 2017 when Travis accidentally shot himself. Just two months later, Exotic married Dillon Passage, but their relationship ended in 2021 when they divorced due to the difficulties of Exotic’s imprisonment, per E Online.
Passage has since moved on and is now engaged to someone else. The difference between Exotic’s prison wedding and other recent celebrity weddings is striking. While stars like Melissa Rivers, Gabby Windey, and St. Vincent have had expensive, highly publicized weddings, Exotic’s ceremony, though just as meaningful to him, happened in prison.
Joe Exotic is scheduled to be released on March 18, 2036. However, he could get out early on good behavior.Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
Published: Apr 22, 2025 10:00 am