Per the New York Post, Joe "Exotic" Maldonado-Passage — the star of hit new Netflix original docuseries series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness — has filed a lawsuit against the feds from his jail cell and is asking President Trump to pardon his conviction.
In January 2020, the 56-year-old was sentenced to 22 years in prison, after being convicted of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot on a rival and animal abuse - including charges that he killed five of his tigers - violating the Endangered Species Act.
The big cat enthusiast and former roadside zookeeper is demanding a combined $94 million from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, his former business partner Jeff Lowe, and several former colleagues.
If you haven't seen it yet, check out the trailer for the bizarre documentary below:The polygamist issued a call for a pardon from President Donald Trump after announcing his intent to sue in a Facebook post on March 19. Alongside photos of the lawsuit files, he wrote:
"This lawsuit has been filed in the name of Justice, The Trump Administration must be made aware of the Overreach, perjury, abuse of power and the failure to uphold the Oath of their position which is truth and Justice for all.
"The Agencies and its [counterparts] have abused the system for a private agenda. The Director Dan Ashe used his Government position to [create] an illegal monopoly with the AZA and shut down [hard-working] American businesses for [self-gain].
"I have been illegally charged with these crimes and the Trump Administration, the United States Department of Interior along [with] the Federal Wildlife service must be held accountable for what they have done to me, my parents and my family, along with my animals. Thank you and please share."
Maldonado-Passage is representing himself in his lawsuit and filed it in a federal court in Oklahoma.
In his lawsuit, he accuses the Fish and Wildlife Service of putting the "generic tiger" on the endangered species list "for the sole purpose of allowing animal rights groups to sue small zoos and circuses" and to make "privately-owned tigers extinct".
He is also arguing that he was "discriminated against because he is the only person charged with this statute because [he] is an openly gay male with the largest collection of generic tigers and crossbreeds".
There has also been a Change.org petition set up in order to help further Maldonado-Passage 's cause. At the time of this writing, it has been signed by 8,440 people.
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