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'Joe Exotic' indicted for killing endangered animals to make room at animal park

'Joe Exotic' indicted for killing endangered animals to make room at animal park
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A former candidate for Oklahoma Governor has been indicted again, this time by a federal grand jury in Oklahoma, documents show.

Joseph Maldonado-Passage, 55, also known as “Joe Exotic,” is accused of shooting and killing endangered animals, including five tigers, to make room for more animals to be boarded, a federal indictment says.

Investigators recently performed a dig at the property where Maldonado-Passage had an animal park in Wynnewood, where they reportedly found large cat bones. 

Documents filed on Wednesday show Maldonado-Passage has been indicted on 21 total counts 

He was indicted earlier this year for a possible connection to a woman's murder-for-hire in Florida, where he is a resident. Documents say Maldonado-Passage had an ongoing feud with the woman, which included the woman winning a $1 million lawsuit over his business practices and proper care for big cats like lions and tigers. 

Maldonado-Passage was on the June 2018 Libertarian ballot for the Oklahoma primary election, in which he was seeking the governor’s seat. He received 18 percent of the vote from Libertarians (664 votes).

 

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