Joseph Maldonado-Passage, known as Joe Exotic, is seen at the zoo he used to run in Wynnewood, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
Share this @internewscast.com

(The Hill) – “Tiger King’s” Joe Exotic is voicing his frustration with President Trump again for pardoning reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley of their fraud and tax evasion charges and not offering him the same.

“You are either rich and connected or your poor and being trafficked by the system,” Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado, said in one of many posts criticizing the clemency, which were uploaded on his Instagram account on Tuesday.

“I guess being innocent is not enough in America,” he wrote in another post, this one shared on social platform X. “They all admitted to perjury on world television but yet I’m left to die of cancer before I can get any help.”

Joseph Maldonado-Passage, known as Joe Exotic, is seen at the zoo he used to run in Wynnewood, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
Joseph Maldonado-Passage, known as Joe Exotic, is seen at the zoo he used to run in Wynnewood, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

He added in separate X post, “I don’t have a million dollars but I would give it if I could get out to work.”

In other posts on both platforms, the 61-year-old “Tiger King” star insisted he is innocent, claiming he “did not hurt anyone” and “did not pay anyone.”

Maldonado’s criticism comes after Trump pardoned the stars of “Chrisley Knows Best,” a reality series that lasted from 2014 until 2023. The couple was convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion charges in 2022.

The ex-zoo owner has been serving a 22-year federal prison sentence since 2020 for his role in a murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin, who also appeared in the Netflix documentary series. A federal judge resentenced Exotic to 21 years in prison in 2022.

He has been calling for a pardon from Trump since the president’s first term in office. He also pressed former President Joe Biden to offer him clemency while he was in office.

Maldonado has made a point to voice his displeasure almost every time a new pardon is announced. In January, he criticized the president and his predecessor after the former president granted pardons to some members of his family and Trump granted clemency to roughly 1,500 rioters charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. 

“If I was a crack dealer, maybe if I broke in the [Capitol] … or even have been related to the Bidens. I might have gotten some relief on being in prison innocent,” he said at the time.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Retrial Denied for South Carolina Woman Convicted in Foster Child’s Death

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – A woman convicted to life in prison for…

Graduation Day for Silver Bluff High School’s Class of 2025 Set for Thursday

AIKEN, S.C. () – Graduation season continues in Aiken County, as seniors…

Video Captures School-Area Traffic Stop Resulting in Family’s Deportation to Mexico by ICE

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Texas Department of Public Safety on Wednesday released…

Pine Hills Community Expresses Worries About Bus Stop Safety After Recent Assault Sentencing

ORLANDO, Fla. – Numerous bus patrons are expressing their worries regarding bus…

Texas Lawmakers Propose THC Ban to ‘Protect Children’

() A bill that would ban products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is…

Couple Captures Wedding Photos with Dramatic New Mexico Tornado Backdrop

PORTALES, N.M.– William and Daynnely Carrillo got married on May 25, and…

Third Suspect Apprehended in July 2024 Murder Case of Wrens Teenager

WRENS, Ga. () – A 3rd suspect was taken into custody in…

Schumer Criticizes Trump’s Proposal to Privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) on Wednesday ripped President Trump’s plan…

Bristol Authorities Offer Update on Potential Closure of Life-Saving Crew

The Bristol Life Saving Crew (LSC) has warned the Bristol, Virginia City…

Man Undertakes 100-Mile Barefoot Journey to Support Immigrant Children

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Patrick McConnell has been training for three months…

Leon Thomas is Prepared for Success with His Latest Album ‘MUTT Deluxe: HEEL’

NEW YORK – Leon Thomas has always been a firm believer in…

“Terrifying Incident: Woman and Toddler Sustain Severe Burns from Hidden Charcoal in Sand”

In Tampa, Florida, a mother from Hillsborough County shares a story that…