Tiger King’s Joe Exotic Weds Fellow Inmate in Prison Love Story

Joe Exotic, the infamous “Tiger King,” has tied the knot behind bars.

The reality TV star, whose legal name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, announced his marriage to Jorge Flores Maldonado—another inmate he met while serving his 21-year sentence for a murder-for-hire plot and wildlife violations. Exotic boasted on social media that he’s "never been more proud of someone," introducing his new husband to the world.

The couple’s love story began at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, after Jorge was transferred from the South Texas ICE Processing Center following his illegal entry into the U.S. Exotic confirmed last year that they’d filed marriage paperwork, though he was worried about whether the prison’s chaplain, warden, and captain would actually approve it. He pointed out that "heterosexuals get married in here all day long," and hoped their rights would be respected. Honestly, when your wedding venue options are “prison chapel” or “prison yard,” you’ve got to work with what you’ve got.

Joe Exotic went public about his engagement to Jorge in October, describing his partner as "amazing" and sharing hopes that, once released, they could either stay in America or start anew elsewhere. The 62-year-old gushed about their connection, saying from the very first day together they were inseparable, and that the relationship "just clicked." Sometimes fate has a flair for the dramatic.

Exotic is currently serving time for plotting to kill animal activist Carole Baskin—his notorious rival—alongside multiple Endangered Species Act violations, including the killing of five tigers and falsifying records. The larger-than-life zookeeper and founder of the Garold Wayne Exotic Animal Memorial Park shot to fame when Netflix’s "Tiger King" turned his saga into a pandemic-era obsession.

While his legal battles continue, Joe Exotic’s prison wedding is another wild chapter in a life that never seems to run out of plot twists. If love can bloom in the most unlikely places, prison might just be the ultimate proof.