Carole Baskin Granted Zoo Once Owned by 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic

Carole Baskin, whose bitter feud with Joe Exotic was the subject of Netflix's monster hit "Tiger King," has been given ownership of the Oklahoma zoo formerly owned by her enemy. A judge ruled Monday in favor of Baskin's Big Cat Rescue Corp. in suit filed against Greater Wynnewood Development Group, LLC, which was once owned by Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage.

Maldonado-Passage is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence after being convicted of animal abuse and trying to have Baskin killed in a murder-for-hire plot.

Baskin and her Big Cat Rescue corporation's take over the Oklahoma zoo property comes after a judge ruled the property was fraudulently transferred years ago to Maldonado-Passage's mother.

In 2011, Baskin won a trademark infringement lawsuit against against Maldonado-Passage, who was ordered to pay her $1 million. In a second suit, she alleged in 2016 that he had subsequently transferred the Oklahoma property to his mother to evade creditors. That case was the subject of Monday's ruling.

Baskin owns an animal sanctuary in Florida, and for years had criticized Maldonado-Passage's animal park, saying he abused his animals and raised them for profit. Maldonado-Passage countered that Baskin was trying to destroy his business.

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