Carole Baskin Granted Control Of Joe Exotic’s Former Zoo Following Court Ruling

Carole Baskin is declaring victory over her nemesis Joe Exotic after a court ruling that will soon allow her to take over the eccentric big cat aficionado’s Oklahoma zoo.

A federal judge granted Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue control of the G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, after determining the property was fraudulently transferred years ago to Joe Exotic’s mother, Shirley Schreibvogel, to avoid paying Baskin a previous $1 million trademark judgment.

Joe Exotic — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — rose to fame earlier this year as the center of the hit Netflix docuseries “Tiger King.” He was convicted last year of attempting to kill Baskin by hiring a hitman and is currently serving a 22-year sentence.

According to Courthouse News, Schreibvogel admitted in 2015 that “the zoo land was fraudulently transferred to her by Joe Maldonado in 2011 to avoid his creditors.”

The park is currently under the control of Jeff Lowe, who has 120 days to vacate the premises and remove all animals on the property, the outlet reported.

It had recently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but reopened last month to huge crowds who flocked to the site after “Tiger King” became a quarantine sensation.

Soon after, the founder of PETA weighed in, vowing to close the park for good following its reopening.

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