Joe Exotic, born Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage in 1963, is an American former zoo operator and animal rights activist. He gained fame as the star of the Netflix documentary series Tiger King, which chronicles his life running the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma. Exotic became known for his flamboyant personality, distinctive mullet hairstyle, and controversial practices involving big cats. In 2019, Joe Exotic was convicted of multiple charges, including animal abuse and a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin, a fellow animal rights activist. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison, which drew significant media attention and sparked discussions about animal welfare and the ethics of private zoos.