“Tiger King” Joe Exotic Doesn’t Receive Trump’s Pardon; Remains in Jail

The lawyers for “Tiger King’s” Joe Exotic were so sure that Donald Trump would pardon him that they had a standby limousine.

But as Trump granted clemency to 143 individuals,  the list did not include the Netflix documentary series star.

Exotic, 57, whose real name is Joe Maldonado-Passage, became a breakout star at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States thanks to the success of the eight-part series “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness.”

Among other activities owned by fellow tiger enthusiasts, including Carole Baskin of Big Cat Sanctuary in Tampa, Florida, the show recorded Exotic’s business, an Oklahoma zoo where he would keep and show tigers and exotic animals.

People appeared to be somewhat enchanted by the exotic for a short time. For Halloween 2020, he was also a trending costume.

Yet Maldonado-Passage was in federal jail, convicted of targeting Baskin in a murder-for-hire scheme and violating federal wildlife laws; he was sentenced to a jail term of 22 years.

In the series, Exotic accuses Baskin of having killed Don Lewis, her former husband.

In addition to a Ram truck stretch limo, which was obviously planned to take Exotic to get a McRib at McDonald’s, KOCO News from Oklahoma City reported that the legal team of the “Tiger King” had hair, makeup, and clothes ready for his probable release from jail in Fort Worth, Texas.

Celebrities who benefited from Trump’s clemency on the eve of Joe Biden’s inauguration include rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, who, the Associated Press reports, were convicted in Florida on gun charges. Lil Wayne was pardoned, and a commutation was given to Kodak Black.

Joe Exotic's legal team tell me they are "100% confident" Trump will pardon the 'Tiger King' from his 22-year criminal sentence. Here's the 38ft "Monster Ram Truck Limo" they've reserved to pick him up. They plan to grab some McRibs immediately after. pic.twitter.com/mK69eGLiBV

— Greg Walters (@thegregwalters) January 19, 2021