Joe Exotic Engaged to Witchcraft-Practicing Man He Met in Prison
Tiger King star Joe Exotic is on track to be a married man... again. He just needs to get divorced first.
The imprisoned reality TV personality confirmed that he was parting ways with his current husband Dillon Passage in 2021, according to People. Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, formally filed for divorce in March 2022. The couple originally wed in 2017.
It sounds like Exotic won't be single for long once the divorce is finalized. In fact, he confirmed that he is already engaged again in a letter shared with TMZ.
The letter, dated April 18, opens with a reference to his ongoing divorce proceedings. In the introduction he accuses Passage of "extortion." He then changes the focus and describes his relationship with a new man named John Graham while answering a series of questions.
Here's what we know about the couple.
According to Exotic, the duo met after he was released from solitary confinement in prison. They developed a bond, and it sounds like "I love you" was exchanged fairly quickly.
"Those 3 words mean more to us both than anything to this day," he writes.
The celebrity goes as far as to compare their star-crossed love story to the one Bella and Edward experience in Twilight.
According to Exotic, they've been dating since March 2020 and have been engaged since August 2021. They reportedly plan on getting married as soon possible.
Who is Graham? Exotic describes his fiancé as an old soul. "John talks like he is from 400 years ago," he writes. What's more, he is allegedly a practitioner of witchcraft.
Although they met in prison, it appears that Graham has since been released. Despite that, Exotic reveals they keep in regular contact. They reportedly speak upwards of three times a day on the phone and exchange regular written correspondence.
"He is so amazing. Very broken when we met, he to this day says I'm his missing piece," Exotic writes of his future husband.
Exotic also claims Graham is very different from Passage, as he is supposedly uninterested in fame and very family focused.
"All he talks about is us as a family," he writes of the 36-year-old.
Although the pair are willing to exchange vows in prison, they hope to eventually do so in an "ancient forest."
Exotic is in the midst of a 22-year sentence. However, he hopes to be released.
Exotic also shares an update on his cancer diagnosis near the end of the letter. After confirming that he experienced what he described as "aggressive" prostate cancer last November, the star writes that he's making progress in treatment.
In his letter he also highlights his resilience: "I will bounce back."