Joe Exotic: Celebrity Convict #17

Joe Exotic: Celebrity Convict #17.

Crimes: Conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, violation of the Lacey Act (8 counts), and violation of the Endangered Species Act (9 counts).

Sentence: 21 years in prison.  Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth.

Who is  Joe Exotic?

Joe Exotic, the larger-than-life figure at the heart of the hit docu-series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, has captivated millions with his bizarre life story. The series, which premiered on March 20, 2020, quickly became a cultural phenomenon, racking up 34 million views in its first 10 days, surpassing the popularity of Stranger Things 2. As viewers across the world became engrossed in the drama, many were left wondering: who is Joe Exotic, and how did his life spiral into such chaos?

A Tumultuous Beginning

Born Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage in Kansas, Joe Exotic’s early life was marked by hardship. After allegedly being raped by another boy, Joe moved to Eastvale, Texas, where his family joined the police force. He trained to become the chief of a small department, but tragedy struck when he attempted to crash his police cruiser into a bridge. This dark moment—triggered by the emotional toll of being singled out as the “gay one” in his family—set the stage for a series of life-altering decisions.

Joe’s career was anything but stable. He tried his hand at music, politics, and eventually found his calling as a zoo owner. He became one of the largest private tiger breeders in the United States, establishing the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (G.W. Zoo) in Oklahoma. But his rise to fame was only the beginning of a tumultuous and controversial journey.

Joe’s Personal Life: A Series of Marriages and Tragedies

Joe was open about his sexuality, and throughout his life, he had several husbands—none of whom were legally married to him. His first husband, Brian Rhyne, died of HIV-related complications in 2001. His second partner, Gary Hartpence, worked as an event manager for Joe’s zoo, but their relationship eventually deteriorated. Hartpence was later convicted of child molestation and first-degree murder.

Joe’s most public relationships were with John Finlay and Travis Maldonado. Finlay, a young man Joe hired to work at the zoo, started a relationship with Joe while still figuring out his life. According to multiple sources, Finlay was straight and struggled with meth addiction, a pattern that seemed to repeat itself in Joe’s relationships. Joe lavished gifts on Finlay, including guns, a truck, and even a tattoo reading “Private Property of Joe Exotic.” Despite the gifts, their relationship crumbled, and Finlay later claimed that Joe had “ruined his life.”

Travis, Joe’s third husband, met Joe when he was just 19 and also had a serious meth addiction. The pair, along with Finlay, entered into an illegal three-way marriage in 2013. Tragically, Travis died in what Joe initially described as an accidental shooting. However, Joe’s campaign manager, Joshua Dial, suspects it was a suicide, manipulated by Joe’s need for control and the influence of meth on their lives. Travis’s mother, Cheryl Maldonado, later expressed her belief that Joe had used Travis’s funeral as another spectacle for his zoo.

Joe’s fourth and current husband is Dillon Passage, whom he married on December 11, 2017. Despite their 33-year age difference, Dillon has described Joe as an important figure in his life, helping him overcome addiction and find purpose through the zoo. However, recent posts on Dillon’s Instagram show that he is no longer wearing his wedding band, sparking speculation about the couple’s current relationship status.

From Zoo Owner to Political Candidate

Joe Exotic’s animal career began with a pet store his brother opened in Arlington, Texas, but it was shut down for violations. In 1997, after his brother’s death, Joe purchased a 16-acre property in Oklahoma and opened the G.W. Zoo. Initially, the zoo was a small operation, with Joe traveling to perform shows in malls. But it wasn’t long before the zoo’s fame—and controversy—grew.

The drama intensified when Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue, accused Joe of animal neglect and trademark infringement. The legal battles between the two escalated, with Joe accusing Baskin of targeting him due to his sexuality. The lawsuits drained Joe financially, leading to a public feud that became a focal point of the Tiger King series.

Beyond his animal business, Joe Exotic harbored ambitions of fame and political power. In 2016, he ran for president of the United States as an independent candidate, and in 2018, he ran for governor of Oklahoma as a libertarian. Although he was unsuccessful in both campaigns, Joe’s efforts to remain in the public eye were relentless. His political aspirations were derailed in 2019 when he was arrested and later convicted for his role in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Carole Baskin.

Legal issues, controversies, and convictions

Joe Exotic has faced numerous legal violations and controversies over the years, particularly surrounding the treatment of animals at his zoo. In February 1999, he was involved in the capture and subsequent killing of emus in Red Oak, Texas, after volunteers and police struggled to manage the animals. Although the incident led to accusations of animal cruelty, a grand jury ultimately declined to indict Exotic as the emus were classified as livestock. However, his treatment of animals remained under scrutiny as he continued to feed his growing number of big cats expired Walmart meat and even shot horses to provide food for the animals.

Carole Baskin Feud

Exotic’s feud with animal rights activist Carole Baskin began in 2009, as Baskin sought to end commercial cub petting and targeted Exotic’s traveling shows. Exotic retaliated by attacking Baskin through his YouTube channel and social media platforms, even promoting a conspiracy theory surrounding the 1997 disappearance of her second husband, Don Lewis. The legal battle between Exotic and Baskin culminated in a 2011 lawsuit, which led to Exotic being ordered to pay a $1 million settlement, though he was unable to collect the funds. In 2020, Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue organization gained ownership of Exotic’s former zoo after the court ruled that Exotic had fraudulently transferred ownership to his mother in an attempt to avoid paying debts.

Joe Exotic’s Downfall and Imprisonment