Joe Exotic, the controversial star of Netflix’s Tiger King, has revealed that he is once again a married man — this time to fellow prisoner Jorge Flores Maldonado.
The former zookeeper, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado, shared a photo online of himself and another man dressed in suits, standing beneath a floral trellis. While the authenticity of the image remains unverified — some speculating it could be AI-generated — Exotic accompanied it with a heartfelt caption: “Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband, Jorge Flores Maldonado.”
Currently serving a 21-year sentence at the Federal Medical Centre in Fort Worth, Texas, Exotic was convicted in 2020 of 17 counts of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder-for-hire targeting Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin. His sentence was later reduced in 2021 from 22 to 21 years.
Exotic’s notoriety skyrocketed following the global success of Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, released on Netflix in 2020. The docuseries chronicled his eccentric life, criminal charges, and complex personal relationships.
In a 2024 social media post, Exotic first introduced his now-husband, referring to him as Jorge Marquez at the time. “Meet Jorge Marquez, he is 33. He is so amazing and is from Mexico,” Exotic wrote. He went on to say the pair hoped to marry in prison and possibly seek asylum — or leave the United States upon their release.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Exotic said, “We love each other very much, spend every minute of the day together. I’ve been through some sh*t in my days. I buried two husbands, the third one ran off with 2.6 million bucks from Netflix and left my ass here, but Jorge is a very amazing young man.”
The couple reportedly submitted paperwork for a marriage licence, pending approval by prison authorities, including the warden, a psychiatrist, and the chaplain.
Exotic’s love life has long been a focus of media attention. His first partner, Brian Rhyne, passed away in 2001 due to HIV-related complications. He later married both John Finlay and Travis Maldonado in a three-way ceremony. After separating from Finlay and experiencing the tragic suicide of Maldonado, he went on to marry Dillon Passage in 2017. That marriage ended in divorce in 2023.
