Additional Coverage:
- Joe Exotic planning new Tiger King documentary and vows to ‘show the world the truth’ (themirror.com)
Joe Exotic Plans “Return of the Tiger King” to Uncover “Truth” Post-Release
Fort Worth, TX – Joseph “Joe Exotic” Maldonado, the infamous figure from Netflix’s “Tiger King,” claims he’s gearing up to unleash a new documentary series titled “Return of the Tiger King” upon his release from federal prison. The 62-year-old, currently serving time for animal cruelty and a murder-for-hire plot, insists this self-produced project will expose the “truth” that the original Netflix sensation allegedly overlooked.
Maldonado, who is reportedly in discussions with Los Angeles-based producers, boasts possession of a staggering six terabytes of previously unreleased zoo footage. He believes this extensive archive will reveal what he calls the “lies on Netflix” and the “lies at trial.”
His federal prison sentence, initially 22 years in January 2020, was reduced to 21 years in January 2022, offering a potential path to earlier release. Maldonado is presently housed at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Fort Worth in Texas.
He was convicted for his role in a murder-for-hire scheme targeting Carole Baskin, 64, the CEO of Big Cat Rescue in Hillsborough County, Florida, as well as for charges of animal cruelty related to his operation of G. W.
Zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.
In recent correspondence from prison, Maldonado stated, “When I get out of here, I am going to make ‘Return of the Tiger King.’ We’re going to show the world the truth about everything because I have it on video tape.”
He elaborated on the content, promising to reveal details about his staff’s alleged on-the-job intoxication, genuine animal rescues, medical emergencies, and the strenuous work involved in running the zoo. “The world is going to be shocked,” he declared.
Maldonado also claims that his notorious animosity with Baskin, a central theme of “Tiger King,” was largely manufactured for television. “I don’t hate Carole,” he asserted.
“I dislike her. She sued me.
I sued her. She bashed me on the internet.
I bashed her on the internet. That’s how we made money…
I never hated her. That was exaggerated for TV.”
Despite his claims of a manufactured feud, Maldonado’s animosity toward Baskin appears to persist. He continued to accuse her of involvement in the disappearance of her former husband, wealthy entrepreneur Don Lewis, who vanished in 1997 and was declared dead in 2002. Baskin has consistently denied any involvement and has never been charged.
When reflecting on his past, Maldonado expressed one significant regret: his association with Jeff Lowe, his former business partner who took over G. W.
Zoo around 2015. Maldonado called Lowe a “scamming piece of s–t,” asserting, “The only thing I would change, honestly, is not let Jeff blow in my life…
I would not be in jail for murder for hire, and I would still have my zoo.”