Unexpected Love Story Behind Bars: Joe Exotic’s New Marriage

“Tiger King” star Joe Exotic ties the knot with fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado while serving a 21-year sentence for attempted murder-for-hire and wildlife violations.

Quick Takes

Joe Exotic married Jorge Flores Maldonado, who is incarcerated for immigration-related offenses.
The prison wedding featured both men in matching tuxedos and white hats.
This is Exotic’s third marriage, following relationships with Travis Maldonado, who died in 2017, and Dillon Passage, whom he divorced in 2022.
Exotic is seeking a presidential pardon while also planning to help his new husband obtain asylum or leave America together upon release.

Prison Wedding for the ‘Tiger King’

Joe Exotic, the controversial figure who gained notoriety through Netflix’s “Tiger King” documentary series, has married fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado while serving his 21-year federal prison sentence. Exotic, whose legal name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, shared photos of the ceremony showing the couple dressed in tuxedos and white hats. The wedding took place inside the federal correctional facility where both men are currently incarcerated, with Exotic serving time for his 2019 conviction for attempting to hire hitmen to kill rival Carole Baskin and for multiple wildlife violations.

Exotic announced the marriage online with considerable enthusiasm, referring to Maldonado as “an amazing young man” from Mexico. Maldonado, 33, is currently serving time for immigration-related crimes. The pair had been planning their prison wedding for months, with Exotic previously announcing in October 2024 that they had filed official paperwork seeking approval for a marriage license from prison authorities.

History of Romance and Legal Troubles

This marriage marks Exotic’s third matrimonial commitment. His previous husband, Travis Maldonado, died tragically in 2017 from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following that relationship, Exotic married Dillon Passage in December 2017, just two months after Travis’s death. That marriage ended with divorce proceedings initiated in March 2022. Throughout these personal relationships, Exotic’s legal troubles have continued to mount, including his current imprisonment stemming from his plot against animal rights activist Carole Baskin.

“Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado,” said Exotic in a post he shared online.

Exotic was arrested in September 2018 during the filming of the Netflix series that would later make him a household name. The documentary “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” captivated audiences during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, highlighting his eccentric personality, his work with exotic big cats, and his intense feud with Baskin that ultimately led to his downfall and conviction.

Future Plans and Pardon Hopes

Despite his lengthy prison sentence, Exotic remains hopeful about his future with Maldonado. He has been vocal about his plan to either help secure asylum for his new husband or leave America together upon their eventual release. This sentiment comes amid Exotic’s ongoing health challenges, including prostate cancer now in remission and concerns about potential lung cancer, according to reports from US Magazine.

“Meet Jorge Marquez he is 33. He is so amazing and is from Mexico. 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,” Exotic said.

Exotic continues to maintain his innocence and has been seeking a presidential pardon. “I wish someone that is president or wins the presidency would do the right thing and pardon me so I could move past this nightmare that my own country has caused for the last 7 years of my life,” he stated recently. His legal team is pursuing an appeal, hoping to overturn his conviction. Meanwhile, the self-proclaimed “Tiger King” has now found companionship behind bars as he continues to serve his sentence, which was originally 22 years but was reduced slightly in 2021 after resentencing.