One murder-for-hire plot, 5 husbands, and 176 tigers: Meet Joe Exotic, the man Nicolas Cage will play in an upcoming TV series

Taylor BordenMay 5, 2020, 00:27 IST

"Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness"Netflix

Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, is a former zoo operator and Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate who is the subject of Netflix's true-crime docuseries "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness."
Nicolas Cage is set to play Maldonado-Passage in an additional upcoming scripted television series on CBS, Variety reports.
Maldonado-Passage has described himself as a "gay, gun-toting cowboy with a mullet," in the docuseries and a 2019 Daily Beast profile.
Others around Maldonado-Passage — like his one-time Libertarian campaign manager Josh Dial — also describe him colorfully. Dial characterized Maldonado-Passage as "Donald Trump on meth" in 2015.
Here's everything you need to know about Joe Exotic, from the opening of his Oklahoma menagerie, that at one point hosted 176 tigers, to his conviction.
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Maldonado-Passage has been serving his sentence at a prison in Oklahoma, not too far from the zoo. He requested a presidential pardon from there in 2019. He was also potentially exposed to the coronavirus in jail.

"Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness" Netflix

Maldonado-Passage has been serving his sentence at a prison in Oklahoma, not too far from the zoo. He requested a presidential pardon from there in 2019. He was also potentially exposed to the coronavirus in jail.

Maldonado-Passage's trial began in March 2019, and he was found guilty shortly thereafter in April. He was ultimately sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Joe Maldonado-Passage. Netflix

After that debacle, Lowe and others like zoo insider James Garretson acted as FBI informants to help with Maldonado-Passage's arrest. Maldonado-Passage was apprehended for the murder-for-hire plot in September 2018.

Joe Maldonado-Passage. Santa Rosa County Jail/Associated Press

After that debacle, Lowe and others like zoo insider James Garretson acted as FBI informants to help with Maldonado-Passage's arrest. Maldonado-Passage was apprehended for the murder-for-hire plot in September 2018.

At the same time, Maldonado-Passage attempted to hire a zoo employee to kill Baskin. The employee, Allen Glover, took the money but did not carry out the murder.

Allen Glover. Netflix

Losing his fourth husband and marrying his fifth did not slow Maldonado-Passage down. He continued his campaign for Oklahoma governor, but with minimal results.

In 2017, Maldonado-Passage's 23-year-old husband Travis Maldonado shot himself and died of his injuries. He married again two months later — this time to 22-year-old Dillon Passage.

Travis Maldonado and Joe Maldonado-Passage. Netflix

In 2017, Maldonado-Passage's 23-year-old husband Travis Maldonado shot himself and died of his injuries. He married again two months later — this time to 22-year-old Dillon Passage.

While Lowe tried to ramp up business for the zoo, Maldonado-Passage decided to run for public office. He ran for president in 2016 as a Libertarian and landed 962 total votes.

Shortly after, Maldonado-Passage joined forces with another big cat owner and businessman, Jeff Lowe. He was to fund Maldonado-Passage's legal tussle with Baskin — and in exchange, he also retained ownership of the zoo.

Jeff Lowe and his wife Lauren Dropla. Netflix

Shortly after, Maldonado-Passage joined forces with another big cat owner and businessman, Jeff Lowe. He was to fund Maldonado-Passage's legal tussle with Baskin — and in exchange, he also retained ownership of the zoo.

In 2015, a mysterious fire burned down part of Maldonado-Passage's zoo, killing alligators that once belonged to Michael Jackson and torching years of Joe Exotic TV footage.

Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. AP Images

In 2015, a mysterious fire burned down part of Maldonado-Passage's zoo, killing alligators that once belonged to Michael Jackson and torching years of Joe Exotic TV footage.

Separately, he married John Finlay and a new employee, 19-year-old Travis Maldonado, in a joint ceremony in 2014. Maldonado was Maldonado-Passage's fourth husband.

Travis Maldonado, Joe Maldonado-Passage, and John FInlay at their wedding ceremony, Netflix

The feud created public interest, which Maldonado-Passage then used to start putting out his own reality television show online in the early 2010s. Joe Exotic TV frequently included Maldonado-Passage slamming Baskin and singing country songs.

In 2011, Baskin filed a lawsuit against Maldonado-Passage for trademark infringement. She asserted that Maldonado-Passage altered the name of his operation to "Big Cat Rescue Entertainment," similar to her rescue's name, to spite her. A judge awarded Baskin $1 million in 2013.

Carole Baskin. Netflix

In 2011, Baskin filed a lawsuit against Maldonado-Passage for trademark infringement. She asserted that Maldonado-Passage altered the name of his operation to "Big Cat Rescue Entertainment," similar to her rescue's name, to spite her. A judge awarded Baskin $1 million in 2013.

Carole Baskin had her own operation called Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Her rescue is a non-profit exotic animal sanctuary devoted to ending private ownership of big cats.

Carole Baskin and her third husband, Howard Baskin, at their sanctuary Big Cat Rescue near Tampa, Florida. Netflix

Carole Baskin had her own operation called Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Her rescue is a non-profit exotic animal sanctuary devoted to ending private ownership of big cats.

Meanwhile, Maldonado-Passage's business caught the attention of Carole Baskin, a big cat advocate with a large social media following determined to end the cub-petting and breeding industry. According to Maldonado-Passage, Baskin published a negative op-ed about his zoo in an Oklahoma newspaper in 2006.

Carole Baskin. Netflix

Meanwhile, Maldonado-Passage's business caught the attention of Carole Baskin, a big cat advocate with a large social media following determined to end the cub-petting and breeding industry. According to Maldonado-Passage, Baskin published a negative op-ed about his zoo in an Oklahoma newspaper in 2006.

Amid building his cub-petting and cub-breeding business in 2002, Maldonado-Passage's personal life also went through a few changes, including a short-lived second marriage to JC Hartpence, and the start of a relationship with John Finlay.

John Finlay. Netflix

Amid building his cub-petting and cub-breeding business in 2002, Maldonado-Passage's personal life also went through a few changes, including a short-lived second marriage to JC Hartpence, and the start of a relationship with John Finlay.

Maldonado-Passage started to rely on customer interaction with cubs for a paycheck, which created a constant need for cubs. He started breeding to meet demand.

A young girl holding a tiger cub. Aleksandr Mostovoi/Shutterstock

After Rhyne's death, Maldonado-Passage adopted the Joe Exotic moniker and started traveling with cubs and performing magic shows. A New York Magazine profile reported that this venture once brought in $23,697.

Joe Maldonado-Passage. Netflix

After Rhyne's death, Maldonado-Passage adopted the Joe Exotic moniker and started traveling with cubs and performing magic shows. A New York Magazine profile reported that this venture once brought in $23,697.

In 2001, Maldonado-Passage started letting customers play with tiger cubs, charging $25 to hold a cub for a few minutes and another $25 for a photo of the interaction. Around the same time, his first husband, Brian Rhyne, died of HIV complications.

A tiger cub being pet. Benny Marty/Shutterstock

In 2001, Maldonado-Passage started letting customers play with tiger cubs, charging $25 to hold a cub for a few minutes and another $25 for a photo of the interaction. Around the same time, his first husband, Brian Rhyne, died of HIV complications.

By 2001, Maldonado-Passage had 89 big cats and a thousand other exotic animals in GW Zoo. But big cats are expensive to feed — Mike Tyson once spent thousands a month to feed his own pet tigers —and after a while, Maldonado-Passage ran out of cash.

Joe Maldonado-Passage at his zoo in Oklahoma. Netflix

By 2001, Maldonado-Passage had 89 big cats and a thousand other exotic animals in GW Zoo. But big cats are expensive to feed — Mike Tyson once spent thousands a month to feed his own pet tigers —and after a while, Maldonado-Passage ran out of cash.

He named the operation The Garold Wayne Exotic Animal Memorial Park — better known as the GW Zoo.

A portrait of Maldonado-Passage's brother Garold is tattooed on his right arm. Sue Ogrocki/AP Images

The story of Maldonado-Passage's roadside zoo begins in the 1990s after his brother died in a car accident. His family wanted to build a soccer field in his honor, but Maldonado-Passage wanted to build a refuge for unwanted exotic animals in his honor, instead.

Joe Maldonado-Passage at GW Zoo in 2013. Sue Ogrocki/AP Images

The story of Maldonado-Passage's roadside zoo begins in the 1990s after his brother died in a car accident. His family wanted to build a soccer field in his honor, but Maldonado-Passage wanted to build a refuge for unwanted exotic animals in his honor, instead.

Maldonado-Passage is the star of Netflix docuseries "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness" which the streaming platform has described as "true murder-for-hire story from the underworld of big cat breeding."

Joe Maldonado-Passage. Netflix

Maldonado-Passage is the star of Netflix docuseries "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness" which the streaming platform has described as "true murder-for-hire story from the underworld of big cat breeding."

Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, is a former zoo operator who has tried his hand at politics and is currently serving 22 years in prison for killing tigers and concocting a plot to murder his rival.

Joe Maldonado-Passage. Netflix

Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, is a former zoo operator who has tried his hand at politics and is currently serving 22 years in prison for killing tigers and concocting a plot to murder his rival.

On May 4, Variety reported that a scripted series based on Joseph Maldonado-Passage's life was in the works at CBS — and Nicolas Cage was tapped to star in it.

Nicolas Cage. Reed Saxon/ AP

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One murder-for-hire plot, 5 husbands, and 176 tigers: Meet Joe Exotic, the man Nicolas Cage will play in an upcoming TV series

Maldonado-Passage has been serving his sentence at a prison in Oklahoma, not too far from the zoo. He requested a presidential pardon from there in 2019. He was also potentially exposed to the coronavirus in jail.

Maldonado-Passage's trial began in March 2019, and he was found guilty shortly thereafter in April. He was ultimately sentenced to 22 years in prison.

After that debacle, Lowe and others like zoo insider James Garretson acted as FBI informants to help with Maldonado-Passage's arrest. Maldonado-Passage was apprehended for the murder-for-hire plot in September 2018.

At the same time, Maldonado-Passage attempted to hire a zoo employee to kill Baskin. The employee, Allen Glover, took the money but did not carry out the murder.

Losing his fourth husband and marrying his fifth did not slow Maldonado-Passage down. He continued his campaign for Oklahoma governor, but with minimal results.

In 2017, Maldonado-Passage's 23-year-old husband Travis Maldonado shot himself and died of his injuries. He married again two months later — this time to 22-year-old Dillon Passage.

While Lowe tried to ramp up business for the zoo, Maldonado-Passage decided to run for public office. He ran for president in 2016 as a Libertarian and landed 962 total votes.

Shortly after, Maldonado-Passage joined forces with another big cat owner and businessman, Jeff Lowe. He was to fund Maldonado-Passage's legal tussle with Baskin — and in exchange, he also retained ownership of the zoo.

In 2015, a mysterious fire burned down part of Maldonado-Passage's zoo, killing alligators that once belonged to Michael Jackson and torching years of Joe Exotic TV footage.

Separately, he married John Finlay and a new employee, 19-year-old Travis Maldonado, in a joint ceremony in 2014. Maldonado was Maldonado-Passage's fourth husband.

The feud created public interest, which Maldonado-Passage then used to start putting out his own reality television show online in the early 2010s. Joe Exotic TV frequently included Maldonado-Passage slamming Baskin and singing country songs.

In 2011, Baskin filed a lawsuit against Maldonado-Passage for trademark infringement. She asserted that Maldonado-Passage altered the name of his operation to "Big Cat Rescue Entertainment," similar to her rescue's name, to spite her. A judge awarded Baskin $1 million in 2013.

Carole Baskin had her own operation called Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Her rescue is a non-profit exotic animal sanctuary devoted to ending private ownership of big cats.

Amid building his cub-petting and cub-breeding business in 2002, Maldonado-Passage's personal life also went through a few changes, including a short-lived second marriage to JC Hartpence, and the start of a relationship with John Finlay.

Maldonado-Passage started to rely on customer interaction with cubs for a paycheck, which created a constant need for cubs. He started breeding to meet demand.

After Rhyne's death, Maldonado-Passage adopted the Joe Exotic moniker and started traveling with cubs and performing magic shows. A New York Magazine profile reported that this venture once brought in $23,697.

In 2001, Maldonado-Passage started letting customers play with tiger cubs, charging $25 to hold a cub for a few minutes and another $25 for a photo of the interaction. Around the same time, his first husband, Brian Rhyne, died of HIV complications.

By 2001, Maldonado-Passage had 89 big cats and a thousand other exotic animals in GW Zoo. But big cats are expensive to feed — Mike Tyson once spent thousands a month to feed his own pet tigers —and after a while, Maldonado-Passage ran out of cash.

He named the operation The Garold Wayne Exotic Animal Memorial Park — better known as the GW Zoo.

The story of Maldonado-Passage's roadside zoo begins in the 1990s after his brother died in a car accident. His family wanted to build a soccer field in his honor, but Maldonado-Passage wanted to build a refuge for unwanted exotic animals in his honor, instead.

Maldonado-Passage is the star of Netflix docuseries "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness" which the streaming platform has described as "true murder-for-hire story from the underworld of big cat breeding."

Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic, is a former zoo operator who has tried his hand at politics and is currently serving 22 years in prison for killing tigers and concocting a plot to murder his rival.

On May 4, Variety reported that a scripted series based on Joseph Maldonado-Passage's life was in the works at CBS — and Nicolas Cage was tapped to star in it.