Joseph “Exotic” Maldonado-Passage has launched a lawsuit from his prison cell. The subject of the popular Netflix docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness currently has 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of murder-for-hire against him, but it isn’t stopping him from suing the US Fish and Wildlife Service, his former business partner Jeff Lowe and confidential informant James Garretson for $94 million.
He’s accusing them of using the zoo “as a front for credit card fraud, ID theft, mail fraud, illegal drugs, human trafficking, and selling tiger parts.” He’s suing on 14 counts that include, Misleading a Grand Jury, Perjury, Conspiracy To Commit Perjury, False Arrest, False Imprisonment, Malicious Persecution, Loss of Personal Property, Pain and Suffering, Mental Anguish, Selective Enforcement, Misrepresentation of the Endangered Species Act, Violating Federal Defendants Oath of Office, and the death of his mother Shirley Schreibvogel. Maldonado-Passage was supposed to be her main caregiver and believes had he been there for her, she would still be here. He is also claiming that her death was murder “by overdose.”
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The Tiger King star is also requesting that President Donald Trump excuse the 17 charges and two counts of murder-for-hire while he pleads for his freedom. According to Pajiba, his Facebook post is a statement and plea for clemency.
“This lawsuit has been filed in the name of Justice, The Trump Administration must be made aware of the Overreach, perjury, abuse of power and the failure to uphold the Oath of their position which is truth and Justice for all,” the statement starts. “The Agencies and its counter parts have abused the system for a private agenda. The Director Dan Ashe used his Government position to creat[e] an illegal monopoly with the AZA and shut down hard working American businesses for self gain. I have been illegally charged with these crimes and the Trump Administration, the United States Department of Interior along with the Federal Wildlife service must be held accountable for what they have done to me, my parents and my family, along with my animals. Thank you and please share.”
As a result of the Netflix docuseries’ success, fans may be thrilled to hear that a Tiger King TV show is already in the works. According to Deadline, the series was first confirmed to be in the makings back in November 2019. A network is not yet attached to the unnamed series, which will be based on Joe Exotic. SNL’s Kate McKinnon will portray Carole Baskin, the animal rights activists who owns Big Cat Rescue in Citrus Park, Florida, and who has also been trying to shut down Maldonado-Passage’s zoo for years.
