Joe Exotic, the former zookeeper made famous by Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, has announced his marriage to fellow prison inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado. The announcement was shared on April 21 via X (formerly Twitter), alongside a photo of the couple dressed in matching suits and white baseball caps, posing in front of a green screen backdrop featuring a sunny park and flower arch. “Never been more proud of someone,” Exotic wrote. “Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado.”
The marriage comes six months after Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, revealed his engagement to Jorge in October 2024. At the time, he described his now-husband, 33, as “amazing” and originally from Mexico.
While celebrating his marriage, Exotic remains focused on ongoing legal efforts to overturn his 21-year prison sentence for a murder-for-hire plot against animal rights activist Carole Baskin. In response to a supporter’s message online, he said, “On appeal and should win.” He has previously expressed hope of securing asylum for Jorge or leaving the United States together upon release, writing, “Either way, I wish I would have met him long ago.”
Exotic has been married before. His relationship with Travis Maldonado — featured in Tiger King — ended tragically when Travis died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2017. He later married Dillon Passage, whose support was also part of the documentary. However, that marriage ended shortly after Exotic’s imprisonment, with Dillon confirming their separation in a now-deleted Instagram post. Dillon has since become engaged to another partner.
Despite his legal challenges, Joe Exotic’s latest marriage signals a new personal chapter as he continues his fight for freedom.
