Joe Exotic, the infamous star of “Tiger King,” asserts that he is battling cancer and fears he will die in prison unless President Trump intervenes.
The 62-year-old inmate, currently in federal custody in Fort Worth, Texas, expresses concern that he might not even live to see his parole eligibility in 2030 as his cancerous tumor keeps growing.
“I’m not going to make it; I’m going to die,” he revealed in a phone interview on Monday, reflecting on his 21-year sentence for conspiring to murder his rival Carol Baskin and violating federal wildlife laws.
Exotic emphasizes his plea to President Trump, saying, “My earliest possible release date is October 30, 2030. Instead of using taxpayer money for my healthcare, let’s find real treatment.”
He recounted a painful experience saying, “I tried chemotherapy for a year, and it was grueling.” Exotic announced his prostate cancer diagnosis back in 2021.
According to him, the cancer has since metastasized to his lungs and doubled in size.
Reflecting on his past, Exotic found fame in the Netflix true crime series “Tiger King,” where he was featured running an exotic animal zoo in Oklahoma. He claims his health issues worsened after his husband, Jorge Flores Maldonado, was deported to Mexico earlier this year.
“I’m dealing with prostate cancer and lung cancer. I think the cancer is spreading to my ribs,” he mentioned. The situation has been particularly stressful, especially since Jorge is now living as a homeless person in Mexico, which Exotic says he feels powerless to change.
His husband was removed from the U.S. in May after facing legal troubles, including an arrest for transporting undocumented immigrants.
The couple reportedly fell in love while Maldonado was serving time for immigration-related charges.
Exotic holds out hope that Trump might grant him clemency, suggesting he would “take care of everything” to bring Jorge back to the U.S.
Still, he acknowledges the grim possibility of dying in prison, stating, “I’ve completed my will, so everything goes to Jorge.” He added, “I have nothing. I just hope cancer takes me quickly rather than enduring more years of this.”
