Unusual Prison Ceremony: Tiger King Ties the Knot

Hand unlocking blue prison cell with keys.

Joe Exotic, the infamous “Tiger King” star currently serving a 21-year prison sentence, has married fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado in an unconventional ceremony behind bars, complete with matching tuxedos and white hats.

Key Takeaways

Joe Exotic, known from Netflix’s “Tiger King” series, has married inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado while serving his 21-year sentence for a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin and wildlife violations.
Maldonado is serving time for immigration-related crimes and Exotic has expressed hopes to either secure asylum for his new husband or leave America together upon their release.
The prison wedding featured the couple in matching tuxedos and white hats, with Exotic announcing the marriage online.
This marks Exotic’s third marriage, following relationships with Travis Maldonado (who died in 2017) and Dillon Passage (whom he filed for divorce from in 2022).
Despite health challenges including prostate cancer in remission, Exotic continues to seek a presidential pardon and maintains hope for an overturned conviction.

A Wedding Behind Bars

Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, has tied the knot for the third time while incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The 61-year-old “Tiger King” star shared photos of himself and his new husband Jorge Flores Maldonado dressed in matching tuxedos and white hats for their prison ceremony. Exotic is currently serving a 21-year sentence after being convicted in 2019 for hiring hitmen to kill his long-time rival, big cat activist Carole Baskin, as well as multiple violations of federal wildlife laws including the killing of five tigers.

Maldonado, 33, is reportedly serving time for immigration-related offenses. The couple first announced their engagement in October 2024, and according to Exotic, they filed their official marriage license papers from prison, receiving approval from the facility’s authorities. The unusual wedding comes after Exotic’s previous marriages to Travis Maldonado, who tragically died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2017, and Dillon Passage, from whom Exotic filed for divorce in 2022.

Plans Beyond Prison

Following the announcement of their marriage, Exotic has been vocal about their future plans once released. He has expressed a desire to either secure asylum for his Mexican husband in the United States or leave America altogether when both are freed. Exotic continues to maintain his innocence and has requested a presidential pardon for both himself and his new spouse, despite having his sentence reduced from 22 years to 21 years in 2022.

Despite his incarceration, Exotic has remained in the public eye since the massive success of the Netflix docuseries “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” which premiered in 2020 and documented his colorful life operating an exotic animal park in Oklahoma. The series, which became a cultural phenomenon during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, detailed his bitter feud with animal rights activist Carole Baskin that eventually led to his arrest in September 2018 during the filming of the show.

Health Challenges and Continued Legal Battles

While celebrating his new marriage, Exotic continues to face significant health challenges behind bars. Reports indicate he has battled prostate cancer, which is currently in remission, and may potentially be dealing with lung cancer as well. These health issues have not deterred his determination to fight his conviction, as he continues to appeal his case and seek a presidential pardon that would allow him to move forward with his life and new marriage.

Exotic said, “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.”

The wedding has attracted attention not only for its unusual prison setting but also for highlighting issues surrounding inmate rights to marriage and the complexities of potential immigration outcomes for Maldonado. As Exotic awaits a decision on his appeals and pardon requests, he has made it clear that his newfound relationship has become a source of strength and hope during his continued incarceration, expressing that he wishes he had met Maldonado “long ago.”