Joe Exotic is ready to take back his kingdom, thank you very much.
The subject of Netflix’s popular docu-series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness is suing the US Department of Interior and the US Federal Wildlife Service from prison, and he wants almost $94 million for the loss of his personal property and his life’s work.
For those who haven’t seen the show [SPOILERS], Joe (real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage) ran a popular exotic animal park in Oklahoma until he was found guilty of a murder-for-hire plot in 2019.
Related: Lori Loughlin Wants Her College Admissions Case DROPPED
Well, according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, Joe claims he was falsely arrested and imprisoned, and that he was the victim of malicious prosecution and discrimination in a huge conspiracy that led to the death of his mom.
Specifically, he is suing the major government bodies for placing the “generic tiger” on the endangered species list, alleging that this was only done to target and ultimately shut down businesses like his. The way Exotic sees it, feds were “stealing [his] property and promoting an animal rights agenda.”
Joe also insists he was “discriminated against because he is the only person charged with this statute because [he] is an openly gay male with the largest collection of generic tigers and crossbreeds.” He’s seeking $78,840,000 for the loss of his personal property and 18 years’ worth of his work with tigers, according to the outlet.
Related: Rob Kardashian Concerned For Daughter Dream’s Safety After ‘Severe’ Burns
He’s also biting back at the alleged conspirators behind his criminal conviction, including his former business partner, Jeff Lowe, who Joe believes lied to authorities and planted evidence against him, and another former colleague who he believes was an informant. Joe claims all this legal drama contributed to the passing of his mother, Shirley, and is seeking an additional $15 million for this.
The lawsuit comes a week after Tiger King captivated the self-quarantined world. As fans know, the lively animal enthusiast converted a horse farm in rural Wynnewood, Oklahoma into one of the largest private zoos in the country. In the first episode of the seven-part series, viewers learn that Exotic ends up in prison for a murder-for-hire plot to kill Carole Baskin, the CEO of Big Cat Rescue, who has an interesting past herself: she was a prime suspect in the 1997 disappearance of her then-husband, self-made millionaire Don Lewis.
We’ll see if anything comes from this new lawsuit.
[Image via Netflix]
Related Posts
