Joe Exotic striking a pose against a tree

'Tiger King' Joe Exotic Cries Out About Parasitic Outbreak In His Texas Prison

Home / News / 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic Cries Out About Parasitic Outbreak In His Texas Prison

By Afouda Bamidele on October 11, 2024 at 6:15 PM EDT

"Tiger King" star Joe Exoticis right in the middle of a dermatological crisis inside his Texas prison walls.

The entertainer has raised the alarm about being infected with a parasitic infection ravaging the Federal Medical Center Fort Worth.

Joe Exotic is currently serving a 21-year sentence for allegedly trying to hire two men to assassinate his rival Carole Baskin and also for crimes against animals.

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Joe shared that he is currently among the 140 prisoners who have been diagnosed with scabies, a skin infestation caused by mice that causes itching and a pimple-looking skin rash.

The entertainer added that he and about 300 inmates are also in quarantine at the correctional facility in Fort Worth. However, their woes may be far from over, as Joe noted that the facilities have run low on necessary medications needed to treat the outbreak. 

He added that one prisoner was infected for over seven months with open sores on his skin and was left unattended to. Joe stated that the sick inmate was allowed to sleep on the bed and was told to purchase an over-the-counter cream from the commissary.

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TMZ gathered from the Center for Disease Control that scabies are spread by skin-to-skin contact with an infected party or by sharing personal effects used by an infected person.

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The Celebrity Complained Of Facility Neglect By The Government 

Joe is lending his voice to bring urgent attention to the prison's medical state, which he claimed has been neglected by the Biden administration.

According to him, rats have also infested the living quarters and inmates are complaining about the rodents climbing on their beds at night. A Federal Bureau of Prison representative stepped in to address the issues, saying:

"A Scabies outbreak has been identified in one housing unit at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas. Out of an abundance of caution, the housing unit has been placed on modified operations status and social visitation has been temporarily suspended."

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The rep added that necessary precautions to protect all occupants of the facility and the community from the outbreak are also currently taken by the authorities of FMC Fort Worth.

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The Netflix Star Regrets Appearing In His Hit Show

The TV personality has done some sober reflection behind bars, and The Blast noted that starring in "Tiger King" on Netflix topped the list of things he wished he had never done.

Joe explained that the documentary, which showcased him as the potential killer of Baskin, dealt a disastrous blow to his reputation and negatively affected his overall well-being.

He clarified that all the footage captured was earmarked for a different project that had been in the works for several years before the idea of the Netflix series came to life.

Joe accused the producers of sabotaging his interviews and deliberately editing them with footage of other individuals to spin the narrative of him conspiring to kill Baskin to pad up their views and ratings.

The Zoo Owner Forgave His Rivals, Baskin And Jeff Lowe

Despite being in jail for his alleged involvement in a murder plot on Baskin, the inmate disclosed that he had found a way to make peace with her and Lowe in his heart. In his words:

"You know, I've already forgiven her, and I forgave Jeff and James and Lauren and everybody that's involved in this case."

The former zoo owner then further stated, "Am I gonna forget? Never. Because I've been through hell in the last five years, but forgive? I really have no hard feelings. I've never had hard feelings against Carole Baskin."

Joe also admitted that he and Baskin benefited a lot from their widely publicized rivalry, which centered around their professions as animal rescuers. He also stated that he wished he never owned a zoo or met Lowe, who he described as a very "corrupt b——-d."

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Joe Exotic Almost Tied The Knot Behind Bars

The former law officer was ready to give marriage a shot with his lover who he met in prison. Unfortunately, luck did not smile on the pair as The Blast noted that the inmate, Graham, was released from the facility.

Joe’s attorney at the time, Autumn Blackledge, explained that they met in February 2021 at FMC Fort Worth in Texas, but Grahamwas forced to end the relationship following his release after spending more than a decade behind bars for possession of a firearm and burglary.

Inside sources claimed they had even arranged for designers to supply them with wedding outfits before the whole thing was called off.

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