Joseph Maldonado, aka Joe Exotic, may be in prison (for charges of animal abuse and attempted murder), but he continues to make legal news.
In 2025, the former reality-TV star sued the Black Pine Animal Sanctuary alleging it mistreated four of the Tiger King's former tigers in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). On April 1, a district court in Indiana dismissed Maldonado's suit for lack of Article III standing. It also sanctioned Maldonado's attorney (Roger Roots) for filing a complaint and other documents containing imaginary citations and misrepresentations of authorities, likely as a consequence of using AI. While the sanctions were not large ($1,500), the court also referred Roots to the Rhode Island disciplinary authorities.
The court's opinion in Maldonado v. Professional Animal Retirement Center begins:
