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Joe Exotic, who rose to fame after the Netflix docu-series “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” went viral, has not contracted the novel coronavirus after being quarantined in prison.
Exotic’s husband, Dillon Passage, confirmed the news to Entertainment Tonight. Exotic was transferred to a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas after inmates at his previous county jail tested positive.
“He does not have COVID-19 but at the previous facility he was at, there were multiple cases,” Passage revealed to the outlet.
‘TIGER KING’ STAR JOE EXOTIC IS IN CORONAVIRUS ISOLATION IN JAIL, HUSBAND DILLON PASSAGE SAYS
“So when he got moved, I think it was just like a safety precaution for this new facility in Fort Worth,” Passage said, adding that the move was to “keep him isolated just in case he did have it.”
Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence for his involvement in a murder-for-hire plot to kill fellow big cat enthusiast Carole Baskin.
Joe Exotic in the Netflix series ‘Tiger King.’
(Netflix/Tiger King)
The documentary told the story of Exotic’s exploits as a zookeeper, country musician, aspiring politician and arch-rival of Baskin.
Maldonado-Passage has reportedly filed a $94 lawsuit, asking for nearly $74 million in loss of personal property, 18 years of research, and the full care of 200 generic tigers and crossbreeds, as well as $15 million for false arrest, false imprisonment, selective enforcement and the death of his mother Shirley, according to People.
‘TIGER KING’ STAR JOE EXOTIC REVEALS WHICH HOLLYWOOD ACTORS HE WANTS TO PORTRAY HIM
He confessed in a follow-up interview with Netflix, which took place last month, that he regrets some of his behavior detailed in the series and added that in hindsight, he’s quite remorseful for some of his animals being encaged in the manner they were.
“Go sit in a cage with your animals for a week,” he said. “I mean, when I left the zoo and I sent my chimpanzees to the sanctuary in Florida and imagined what my chimpanzees went through for 18 years, I — I’m ashamed of myself.”
Joseph Maldonado-Passage seen in a Santa Rosa County Jail booking photo.
(Santa Rosa County Jail via AP)
Exotic also thanked his husband for remaining by his side during his legal battles and subsequent life behind bars, despite the fact that the pair was married for only eight months before the “Tiger King” was hauled away for his transgressions.
The cat wrangler now says that in the light of the series’ popularity, he’s turning a new chapter and making it his mission to get himself out of prison and to clear his name.
“I’m done with the Carole Baskin saga,” he said. “It’s now time to turn the tables and Joe gets out of jail a free man and exonerated from all these charges.”
Fox News’ Julius Young contributed to this report.
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