'Tiger King' star Joe Exotic reveals marriage with fellow inmate in prison ceremony: Who is his husband?

Tiger King star Joe Exotic, who is serving 21 years in prison, revealed his marriage to his mate Jorge Flores Marquez.

Updated on: Apr 22, 2025, 21:02:01 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Tiger King star Joe Exotic, who has been locked up at Federal Medical Center Fort Worth for 21 years, has announced that he married fellow prisoner Jorge Flores Marquez.

'Tiger King' star Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, posted the news of his marriage on X.

On Monday, the former tiger dealer, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, posted the news on X.

“Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado,” wrote Exotic, 62, including a photo of the couple with white baseball caps and matching outfits.

Exotic and Marquez got engaged last year

Exotic and Marquez revealed their engagement in October of last year.

“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,” Exotic wrote on X last year. “Either way, I wish I would have met him long ago.”

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Who is Joe Exotic?

Exotic garnered fame via Tiger King, a 2020 true-crime Netflix documentary that centered on Exotic's conflict with conservation activist Carole Baskin.

The TV celebrity was convicted on two charges in 2019 of paying a hitman to kill Baskin. In a recorded encounter in December 2017, prosecutors claimed that Exotic gave $10,000 to an undercover FBI agent as compensation for Baskin's murder. “Just like follow her into a mall parking lot and just cap her and drive off,” he said to the agent on the video.

Attorneys for Exotic stated that their client, who formerly ran a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, which is roughly 65 miles south of Oklahoma City, wasn't being serious.

Additionally, Exotic, who insists he is innocent, was found guilty of selling tiger kittens, killing five tigers, and fabricating wildlife documents.

During a resentencing trial, his initial 2020 sentence of 22 years in prison was lowered to 21 years.

Joe Exotic's marriages and failed pardon pleas

As this is Exotic's third marriage, according to CBS News, the two apparently met inside bars while Marquez is incarcerated for immigration-related offenses.

Exotic first got married to Travis Maldonado, who passed away in 2017 after accidentally shooting himself.

For years, the former proprietor of the zoo has been fighting for a presidential pardon. He even asked former President Joe Biden for mercy after failing to secure it from Donald Trump during his first presidency.

Exotic criticized Trump in January this year for refusing to pardon him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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