https://www.wlwt.com/article/federal...r-zoo/32737332
Federal judge awards Carole Baskin control over 'Joe Exotic’s' former zoo
Updated: 9:39 AM EDT Jun 2, 2020
OKLAHOMA CITY —
A federal judge on Monday granted control over “Joe Exotic’s” former zoo in Wynnewood to Carole Baskin, an animal rights activist whose feud with the former zoo owner was documented on a popular Netflix show.
Court documents show that Joseph Maldonado-Passage fraudulently transferred zoo ownership to his mother to avoid creditors.
Maldonado-Passage was convicted in April 2019 of conspiring to kill Baskin in Florida, along with killing five tigers, and selling and offering to sell tiger cubs. Maldonado-Passage, who is better known as “Joe Exotic,” was sentenced to serve 22 years in federal prison.
The feud between Maldonado-Passage and Baskin was featured earlier this year on the hit docuseries “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.”
The court ruling also ruled that the Greater Wynnewood Development Group has 120 days to leave the zoo premises. All of the animals at the zoo must also be removed from the area.
"After spending $2.5 million to secure a million-dollar judgement against Joe, we feel that her securing this land is the appropriate outcome," Jeff Lowe told sister station KOCO 5. "And that allows us sufficient time to open up Tiger King Park in Thackerville, behind the WinStar Casino."
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