Hey, all you cats and kittens. We’ve got some news for you Tiger King fans.
According to Courthouse News, a federal judge awarded control of Joe Exotic’s Oklahoma zoo to his decade long rival Carole Baskin. The two became internationally famous after being focus of Netflix documentary series Tiger King. The documentary centered around the feud between Exotic and Baskin over Exotic’s right to own and breed tigers. The feud continued for several years until Exotic was arrested for attempting to hire a hitman to kill Baskin.
But now, it appears that Baskin is having the final laugh, as she has been given control over Exotic’s former zoo, according to Towleroad. As the court document shows, Oklahoma City’s U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk granted Baskins the zoo after finding the zoo properties were fraudulently transferred to Exotic’s mother. The transfer was done to avoid paying Baskin the zoo as trial collateral.
“Big Cat Rescue [Baskin’s Tampa-based zoo]’s constructive trust and equitable lien in and to the buildings shall survive any physical or title transfer of the building and shall follow any proceeds, except as to a good faith purchased for value,” the 11-page order states.
This legal victory means that Baskin now has control of about 16 acres of land in Garvin County. Meanwhile, the remains of Exotic’s company called the Great Wynnewood Development Group, LLC must “vacate the Zoo Land premises within 120 days of service of this Order …Vacation of premises shall also require removal of all zoo animals from the Zoo Land,” the court order said.
Talking to CNN, Walter Mosley, an attorney for businessman Jeff Lowe who currently owns the park, shared that the decision is not a surprise.
“We anticipated Carol Baskin getting the title to the former park that once belonged to Joe Exotic, and we did not challenge her attempts to do so,” Mosley said Monday. “All of Jeff’s focus is on opening the new Tiger King Park in Thackerville, (Oklahoma), which should be opening in the next 120 days.”
Source: Courthouse News, CNN, Towleroad
