Tiger King’s Joe Exotic has announced his engagement to his new partner John Graham after meeting in prison.
The former zookeeper, who’s currently serving a 21-year sentence, is waiting for his divorce from Dillon Passage to finalise and to be released before tying the knot.
Exotic shared news of his soon-to-be marriage on social media with a handwritten letter.
‘Everyone, John Robert Graham and I are officially engaged and plan to marry as soon as my divorce is final,’ he penned.
‘We were together over one year in prison and he is home now with our son. I have never met such an amazing man in my life. He treats me so well, you will love him.’
Exotic concluded the letter: ‘Let’s hope I’m home in Sioux Falls, S.D (South Dakota) to get married soon.’
Exotic and Passage split last year after four years together, with Passage saying that they were seeking a divorce.
He said at the time: ‘In November of 2017 I met Joe who was there for me during a difficult time in my life. After just 9 short months he was arrested and, for the last two and a half years, we have been apart. I’ve always stood by his side and will continue to always love and support him.
‘When Tiger King was released on Netflix a year ago, my life was thrown into a world of media and public attention. Something that was completely foreign to me. I felt as if I had a microscope constantly looming over me which was and still is incredibly uncomfortable.’
He continued: ‘With everyone pulling me in different directions, I found my manager @jefftduncan who, despite Joe’s recent social media tirades against, has always acted in my best interest and helped me navigate the complexity of the new situation I found myself in.
‘I don’t feel obligated to explain to the world what occurs in my personal life and, despite Joe taking to social media to air every grievance, I don’t feel it’s the healthiest way to handle private matters between two people. I therefore don’t intend to post any more on this subject.’
Exotic has had five husbands, first marrying Brian Rhyne in the late 1980s. He died of HIV complications in 2001.
He then met his next partner, JC Hartpence, who helped him to create his travelling show.
John Finlay and Travis Maldonado were Exotic’s third and fourth husbands, and featured on Tiger King. They got married in 2014 in a three-way ceremony however, less than a year later, Finlay wanted out.
Then, in 2017, Maldonado died tragically after accidentally shooting himself. Exotic went on to meet Passage on a dating app.
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