“Tiger King” Now Seeks Trump Pardon

January 21, 2025 – Joseph Maldonado-Passage, known as “Joe Exotic,” gained widespread attention through the 2020 Netflix series “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.” In 2019, he was convicted on multiple charges, including a murder-for-hire plot against animal rights activist Carole Baskin, resulting in a 22-year federal prison sentence.

During President Donald Trump’s initial term, Joe Exotic actively sought a presidential pardon. His legal team was so confident that they arranged a limousine near the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, anticipating his release. However, when the list of pardons was announced on January 20, 2021, Joe Exotic was notably absent. Expressing his disappointment, he tweeted, “I was too innocent and too GAY to deserve a Pardon from Trump.”

Following President Trump’s re-election and subsequent inauguration on January 20, 2025, Joe Exotic renewed his efforts for clemency. Despite President Trump’s issuance of over 1,500 pardons on his first day back in office, primarily for individuals convicted in relation to the January 6 Capitol riots, Joe Exotic was not among the recipients.

As of January 21, 2025, Joe Exotic remains incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. His legal team continues to advocate for his release, but no official statements have been made regarding a potential pardon from the current administration.