EXCLUSIVE: Joe Exotic Writes Jailhouse Letter Claiming He's Being Blackmailed Over His Deported Mexican Husband — 'Bullsh** Drama'
Joe Exotic has pulled back the veil on his life behind bars.
June 16 2026, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Joe Exotic has spoken to RadarOnline.com from behind bars and is now claiming he's being blackmailed over his deported Mexican husband.
The Netflix star, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021, and it has since spread to his lungs. In a jailhouse letter obtained by Radar, he also claimed prison staff are not doing their part to improve his health.
Joe Exotic's Plea: 'I've Been Trying to Get Trump's Attention'
The Netflix star once again pleaded with President Trump to help him out.
"Not only have I been Trying to get Trump's Attention FOR the Last 8 years, but Now I Have lost the Ability to get the white Houses eyes on my Social Media," Maldonado-Passage wrote in his letter, referring to his efforts to try and get President Trump to pardon him.
Maldonado-Passage then revealed he's been in "the SHU (Special Housing Unit) now FOR 58 days. All because A Prison Guard OF 26 years Wrote President Trump A letter asking Him to Sign my Clemecy OR grant me A Pardon. The prison Fired Him And put me in the SHU, Trying to Send me to another prison."
The 63-year-old then claimed the people he put in "charge of my social media," have "teamed up with the Former chair OF the Libertarian Party 'Angela' and is Holding my Accounts Hostage, giving me the option to quit giving my Mexican Husband my monetization money And leave Him And get my Accounts to Resume Active, OR they Will no longer post And Keep the passwords."
In 2024, Maldonado-Passage revealed he had proposed to fellow inmate Jorge Marquez Flores while behind bars.
Joe Exotic's Tough Love Journey With Inmate Revealed
He also claimed he's been getting blackmailed behind bars in a new letter sent to Radar.
"He is so amazing and is from Mexico," Maldonado-Passage wrote at the time about his new partner. "Now, the quest of getting married in prison and getting him asylum or we be leaving America when we both get out." They were officially married in April 2025.
Flores was then released from prison and taken to an ICE Detention Center for his hearing to either remain in the U.S. or be deported to Mexico. The hearing was a short one, reportedly, as Flores was deported just a few hours later.
Maldonado-Passage had said on Instagram following the decision: "Rough day getting around. The ICE agents didn't understand why he got sent back so fast. He had a hearing scheduled for tomorrow," and once again asked for Trump's help.
"(Donald Trump) just let me go to Mexico, and you can keep Carole Baskin. I'm exhausted trying to figure out why you won't listen to the evidence," he said.
Joe Exotic's Cancer Fight
The former reality star is also battling cancer behind bars.
The reality star is currently serving a 21-year sentence after he was convicted of a murder-to-hire plot against his rival, animal rights activist Carole Baskin.
In the new letter sent to Radar, Maldonado-Passage declared, "I'm not leaving my Husband, that money WAS Keeping Him Safe in Mexico until President Trump Helps me out OF Here. I've bee Exploited For 8 years FOR Everyone to make money using my Face and name and I get nothing but more bullsh-t drama."
"Please President Trump let me go Home," he pleaded.
According to a close pal of Maldonado-Passage, the former zookeeper who previously claimed he was done accepting cancer treatment, is not being properly fed while at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Fort Worth, Texas.
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The 63-year-old is serving a 21-year sentence after he was convicted of a murder-to-hire plot.
"He's still in solitary confinement and has lost 18 pounds," the insider revealed. They are not feeding him well at all; it's disgusting that they think giving a 63-year-old cancer (patient) a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is acceptable."
The Tiger King star had previously told Radar he is "trying to stay alive, but it's hard."
