Why is Joe Exotic in jail?

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, viewers were invited into the peculiar world of Joe Exotic. A big cat collector turned disgraced businessman, his often questionable treatment of tigers and other rare animals at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma made him a contentious figure and something of a household name.

In 2018, Exotic, born Joseph Maldonado-Passage and the main subject of Netflix’s docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of murder-for-hire. According to prosecutors, the media personality gave an individual $3000 to travel from Oklahoma to Florida to carry out the murder of Carole Baskin, allegedly agreeing to pay thousands more after the deed had been done.

In December 2017, he made a second attempt to hire a hitman for $10,000 to kill Baskin. In this case, however, the person was an undercover FBI agent. In January 2020, Exotic was sentenced to 22 years behind bars. After being diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer, he petitioned to have his term shortened, which a federal appeals court agreed to, by one year. 

Exotic was also accused of falsifying records relating to several tigers, lions, and a baby lemur that were purported to be donated or transported for exhibition but were actually sold for profit.

Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue in Florida and bane of Exotic’s existence, had been very vocal about her disdain over the treatment of animals at Exotic’s animal park. However, during a phone interview with ABC News last year, the former zookeeper denied the allegations, stating, “If people saw my videos on the YouTube channel, I walk in a cage with 24 full-grown tigers and lions at a time.” He added, “Do you think if I abuse them, they would allow that?”

The pair’s feud dates back to 2009 when Baskin sought to end commercial cub petting across the United States, making the former animal handler’s significantly lucrative traveling show one of her prime targets. 

The animal activist also sued Exotic for trademark infringement after he wrongfully used her organization’s name in ads for his traveling show. Bombarded with calls and emails from angry supporters who thought she had taken over the controversial business, Baskin was eventually awarded a $1 million settlement that ultimately bankrupted the now-convicted felon.

Still, Exotic’s fanbase appears to be going strong. Earlier this week social media star announced his bid for the 2024 presidency sparking the question: will he be the Joe to finally cancel student loans?