Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, born Joseph Allen Schreibvogel on March 5, 1963, in Garden City, Kansas, is best known as Joe Exotic, an American media personality, former zoo operator, and convicted felon[1][3]. He rose to international prominence as the subject of the 2020 Netflix documentary series "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness," which detailed his flamboyant lifestyle, controversial animal park, and bitter feud with animal rights activist Carole Baskin[1][3]. Joe Exotic's early life was shaped by a love for animals, developed while helping his father raise racehorses in Wyoming and later Texas, where he graduated from Pilot Point High School in 1982[1][2]. After a brief stint as the youngest police chief in Eastvale, Texas, he and his brother Garold Wayne opened a pet store in Arlington, Texas. Following Garold's death in 1997, Joe sold the store and founded the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (also known as the G.W. Exotic Animal Park) in Oklahoma in his brother's memory[1][2]. The park became infamous for its large collection of big cats, particularly tigers, and its unconventional approach to animal care and public entertainment. Joe Exotic also pursued a variety of other roles, including musician, model, magician, actor, minister, and politician. He ran for President of the United States as an independent in 2016 and for Governor of Oklahoma as a Libertarian in 2018[3]. His media presence was marked by eccentricity, including a reality TV show, music videos, and a prolific social media following. In 2019, Joe Exotic was convicted on 17 federal counts of animal abuse and two counts of murder-for-hire for allegedly hiring someone to kill Carole Baskin[3]. He was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison, a term later upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit[3]. As of the most recent public information, he remains incarcerated in Texas[3]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was temporarily placed in quarantine after potential exposure. Joe Exotic's personal life has also drawn attention, including multiple marriages—most recently to Jorge Marquez in April 2025—and his openness about his relationships and lifestyle[1][4]. Despite his imprisonment, Joe Exotic maintains a degree of public relevance due to ongoing media coverage, legal appeals, and continued public fascination with his story[3]. His legacy is a complex mix of entrepreneurial ambition, media savvy, and criminal conviction, making him one of the most polarizing figures in recent American popular culture.
#tiger_king #big_cats #tragedy
A shocking incident at the 'Tiger King' preserve has sparked discussions about the dangers and regulations surrounding owning and working with big cats.