Joe Exotic, the imprisoned star of Netflix true crime documentary Tiger King, has taken to social media to plead for a presidential pardon after his husband was deported from the US.
The 62-year-old Exotic, real name Joseph Allen Maldonado, said on social media he married fellow inmate Jorge Marquez in November last year.
Marquez was released from prison, where he was reportedly being held on immigration violations, and deported to Mexico over the weekend.
Exotic posted his plea to US President Donald Trump, whose candidacy Exotic supported – despite briefly announcing his intention to run for the White House himself while behind bars – on social media site X.
”I don’t mind deportation because it’s the law and we knew this was coming, however when they come to America for shelter from the bad … America could at least make sure they are returned safely,” he said.
Exotic claimed Marquez had been “dumped at the border” by US immigration agents, and was then attacked and robbed by cartel members while on a bus to Monterrey.
Tagging Trump’s X account in an earlier post, Exotic said: “I know that you are not fond of my lifestyle, but I supported you … just allow me go to Mexico with my husband.”
In another post, he promised he would stay with Marquez in Mexico until the latter could return to the US legally, if pardoned.
In 2020, Exotic began serving a 22-year prison sentence (later reduced to 21 years) after he was convicted hiring two men to kill activist Carole Baskin.
He repeatedly maintains online that he is innocent.
