Tiger King's Joe Exotic 'self-isolating over coronavirus concerns' in prison

The subject of Netflix's new true crime series is isolating in a prison in Texas
George Fenwick7 April 2020
The Weekender

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Tiger King’s Joe Exotic is reportedly in coronavirus isolation in jail, according to his husband.

Exotic’s fourth husband, 24-year-old bartender Dillon Passage, told Andy Cohen on his SiriusXM show on Wednesday that Exotic was in isolation due to cases at his previous jail.

Passage did not say if Exotic, the subject of Netflix’s gripping new true crime series Tiger King, had tested positive for the virus.

“Since he’s been moved to this new facility, they are putting him on a Covid-19 isolation because of the previous jail he was at, there were cases,” said Passage.

"I’ve yet to speak to him since he moved,” he said.

Exotic has reportedly been transferred from the Grady County Jail in Oklahoma to a prison in Texas.

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57-year-old Exotic, real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is serving a 22-year sentence after being found guilty of paying a hitman to kill animal rights activist and Big Cat Rescue owner Carole Baskin.

Exotic reportedly paid a hitman $3,000 (£2,416) to kill Baskin.

Passage told Andy Cohen that he still loves Exotic.

“He’s been with my through my darkest times, and I’m not going to just dip out and abandon him when he needs me most."

Passage also revealed the pair married very soon after meeting: “Oh god, I think it was like, a little over two weeks? We definitely jumped the gun, I can say that. But I'm not ashamed of it whatsoever.”

Cohen himself previously tested positive for Covid-19, but has since recovered.

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