Prison Wedding Surprise As TV Star Marries Behind Bars

Person in suit handcuffed behind jail bars.

“Tiger King” star Joe Exotic has tied the knot with fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado while serving his 21-year federal prison sentence, swapping orange jumpsuits for tuxedos in an unusual ceremony behind bars.

Quick Takes

Joe Exotic, convicted of a murder-for-hire plot against rival Carole Baskin, married fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado who is incarcerated for immigration-related crimes
The couple wore matching tuxedos and white hats for their prison ceremony
Exotic has previously been married twice – to Travis Maldonado who died in 2017 and Dillon Passage whom he divorced in 2022
Despite his imprisonment, Exotic is seeking a presidential pardon for both himself and his new husband

From Netflix Stardom to Prison Vows

Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic from the wildly popular Netflix docuseries “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” has found love while serving time at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Exotic, 61, was sentenced in 2019 after being convicted of attempting to hire hitmen to kill animal rights activist Carole Baskin, along with multiple wildlife violations. Despite these serious charges that initially landed him a 22-year sentence (later reduced to 21 years), Exotic appears to have found companionship with fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado.

The wedding announcement came through Exotic’s social media channels, where he proudly introduced his new spouse to the world. Maldonado, reportedly 33 years old and from Mexico, is currently serving time for immigration-related offenses. According to prison officials, the pair had to navigate significant bureaucratic hurdles to obtain permission for their marriage, including filing official paperwork requesting a marriage license that required approval from prison authorities.

A History of Unusual Relationships

This marks Exotic’s third marriage, following his previous unions with Travis Maldonado, who tragically died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2017, and Dillon Passage, whom he married shortly after Travis’s death. Exotic’s marriage to Passage ended with divorce proceedings initiated in March 2022. The Tiger King’s romantic history has been as colorful as his professional life running an exotic animal park in Oklahoma, which featured prominently in the Netflix documentary that brought him international fame.

“Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado,” Exotic beamed in a recent post online.

For the ceremony, both men reportedly donned matching tuxedos and white hats, creating a stark contrast to their usual prison attire. The prison wedding highlights the unusual circumstances of their relationship, which began during their incarceration. Exotic first announced his engagement to Maldonado in October 2024, with plans for a December wedding that apparently moved forward more quickly than initially anticipated.

Future Plans and Pardon Requests

Despite his lengthy sentence, Exotic remains optimistic about his future with Maldonado. He has expressed hope for either securing asylum in the United States for his new husband or leaving the country together upon their eventual release. This plan comes amid Exotic’s ongoing efforts to overturn his conviction through legal appeals and his public requests for presidential clemency that would benefit both himself and Maldonado.

Joe Exotic said of his predicament, “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.”

Exotic’s health has reportedly deteriorated during his time in prison. He has battled prostate cancer, now in remission, and has mentioned concerns about potential lung cancer. Despite these challenges, he continues to maintain a public presence through social media and interviews, keeping his name in the public eye years after the Tiger King phenomenon first captivated audiences during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. His marriage to Maldonado represents yet another chapter in the continuing saga of one of America’s most infamous convicted felons.