Joe Exotic is never gonna financially recover from this ...
Just when you thought all of the Tiger King drama couldn't get juicier, this happens.
On Monday, a federal judge granted Carole Baskin control of the Greater Wynnewood Development Group, or Tiger King Park, formerly run by Joseph Maldonado-Passage (aka Joe Exotic). Baskin's Big Cat Rescue Corp. now owns the 16,439-acre property heavily featured in the popular Netflix docuseries, along with several trucks and cabins on the property.
"Big Cat Rescue’s constructive trust and equitable lien in and to the buildings shall survive any physical or title transfer of the building and shall follow any proceeds, except as to a good faith purchased for value," states the 11-page order.
The current owners—namely, Jeff Lowe—have 120 days to vacate the premises and remove all zoo animals.
Previously, Baskin had sued Exotic in 2011 for trademark and copyright infringements after he used logos that resembled the Big Cat Rescue company. Exotic was ordered to pay Big Cat Rescue $1 million. Then, in 2016, a court ruled that Exotic's mother Shirley Schreibvogel was fraudulently transferred the zoo in order to avoid paying the $1 million settlement. Schreibvogel later admitted under oath that Exotic had transferred the zoo under her name in order "to remove it from the reach of creditors."
Exotic is serving a 22-year sentence for a murder-for-hire plot to kill Baskin, which was just one of the crazy things to come out of the Tiger King series. He is currently being held at Federal Medical Center Fort Worth in Texas after being transferred from the Oklahoma County jail in March amid coronavirus fears.
In other Tiger King-related news, there are several projects in the works featuring the rivals, including a new episode on Siegfried & Roy and two scripted shows with Nicolas Cage and Kate McKinnon.
Baskin is also selling face masks for "all you cool cats and kittens," in case you were interested.
What do you think about all of this Tiger King news? Sound off in the comments below.
