Carole Baskin wins control of Tiger King Joe Exotic's former zoo
Tiger King's Exotic is currently serving a 22-year sentence for a murder for hire plot against Baskin
An Oklahoma judge has awarded Carole Baskin, star of the Netflix docuseries Tiger King, the former zoo of her nemesis Joe Exotic.
The court gave Baskin's Big Cat Rescue Corporation control of Exotic's 16-acre animal park in Garvin County, Oklahoma on Monday.
The Greater Wynnewood Development Group, once owned by Exotic, is required to vacate the premises, remove all zoo animals and hand over several vehicles. The zoo is currently under the leadership of Jeff Lowe – who also featured in the Netflix documentary.
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The judge ruled in Baskin's favour after hearing that Exotic – real name Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage – had fraudulently transferred his zoo, which is reported to hold over 200 big cats in Oklahoma, into his mother's name to avoid Baskin claiming it as a result of a 2013 lawsuit.
Florida-based Baskin and Exotic's long-running feud was documented in the Netflix series, which concluded with the latter's imprisonment for a murder-for-hire plot against Baskin. He is currently serving a 22-year sentence for the plot and animal abuse crimes.
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In 2013, a court ordered Exotic to pay Baskin $1 million in damages after she sued him for trademark infringement. The lawsuit led to his bankruptcy and was documented in Tiger King.
In March, Netflix released the eight-part series on rivalries between privately-owned exotic zoos in North America, which quickly became a hit. Due to the success of the first series, the creators are reportedly working on a Tiger King follow-up episode.
Several scripted projects based on Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin are in the works, including a series starring Nicholas Cage and a drama featuring Kate McKinnon as the leopard print-clad Baskin.
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is currently available to stream on Netflix. You can also check out the best Netflix series and best Netflix movies to keep you entertained or visit to our TV guide for more to watch.
