The Tiger King Case

Joe Exotic

Joe Exotic was found guilty in 2019 for paying a hitman $3,000 to kill his rival,

, an animal activist and big-cat lover who runs a sanctuary called the Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida. The hit did not go through, and  he is currently serving 22 years for the attempted murder plot.

Joe was also found guilty of killing tigers to make room for more big cats at his exotic animal park in Oklahoma.

Since the release of the docuseries, he has filed a federal lawsuit against various government agencies, as well as his former business partner. In his complaint, he is seeking $94 million in damages.

According to the lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE, the former zookeeper and country music singer claimed $73,840,000 is for loss of personal property; 18 years of research; and care of 200 generic tigers and cross-breeds for 365 days a year, at a boarding rate of $60/day per animal.

Carol Baskin

The additional $15 million is for false arrest, false imprisonment, selective enforcement and the death of his mother, Shirley.

The lawsuit, which was filed against the U.S. Department of Interior, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and government agents, accuses them of violating his civil rights.

The seven-episode series focuses on the long-standing, increasingly bitter rivalry between Baskin — who runs the exotic sanctuary, Big Cat Rescue, in Citrus Park, Florida, and Joe, the now-imprisoned zookeeper.

Baskin’s then-husband, self-made millionaire Don Lewis, vanished without a trace in August 1997, soon after the couple decided to divorce. At the time, relatives of Lewis questioned whether Baskin may have been involved, and whether she may have fed his remains to her tigers.
Lewis’ disappearance remains unsolved.

Baskin continues to run Big Cat Rescue (alongside her husband Howard Baskin), but says she’s haunted by some of the past traumas the Netflix series dredged up.

In a statement provided to PEOPLE, Baskin said, “A lifelong animal lover, I was immediately drawn to the possibility of exposing the misery caused by the rampant breeding of big cat cubs for exploitation and the awful lives these majestic creatures are forced to endure in roadside zoos and back yards.”
Baskin added, “There are no words for how disappointing it is to see that the series not only does not do any of that, but has instead chosen to be as salacious and sensational as possible to draw in viewers. As part of that, they devoted an entire segment to 23-year-old lies and innuendos suggesting I was involved in my husband Don’s 1997 disappearance.”