Joe Exotic Diagnosed With Possible Bladder Cancer, Refusing Treatment

Joseph Allen Maldonado, famously known as Joe Exotic and nicknamed "The Tiger King," is a businessman, personality, and convicted felon who operated the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park.

Believe it or not, he was also convicted of multiple wildlife violations, including killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs, and falsifying records.

Well, talking about real life, not some movie. 59-year-old Joe Exotic is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence for his involvement in a failed murder-for-hire plot to take out his sworn enemy, Carole Baskin.

Prosecutors allege that he paid a man $3,000 to carry out the hit in Florida in 2017 after Baskin had publicly criticized him for animal abuse in the popular Netflix series.

Exotic has been widely condemned for mistreating animals, with Carole Baskin leading the charge. His actions have been so egregious that the USDA launched an investigation.

In May 2021, Exotic revealed his prostate cancer diagnosis and called on President Biden to release him on compassionate grounds.

Joe Exotic has maintained his innocence, and his attorneys argued that he wasn't being serious. In November 2022, he expressed dissatisfaction with his living arrangement, highlighting the need for his release.

After meeting with his urology specialist on Wednesday, it was determined that Joe's cancer had likely spread to his bladder.

Joe is understandably concerned about the prognosis, but will he fight the disease with all his strength? For that, we are not so sure.

Joe revealed to TMZ that he has been experiencing a lot of blood in his urine and bleeding heavily during his prostate cancer treatments.

Doctors fear Joe Exotic's prostate cancer has now spread to his bladder, but incarcerated former zookeeper refuses further treatment.

Exotic, the former star of Netflix's Tiger King true-crime series, is already serving a prison sentence, and now this diagnosis has worsened Joe’s life.

He decided not to seek treatment, writing, "I want to stay here and just let it take its course.” This left all the people in silence. Is Joe letting his emotions cloud his decision?

He refuses to give up his fight for justice, proclaiming, “The world must be made aware of the injustice of our justice system... If I have to be the one to die an innocent martyr in this struggle for truth, then perhaps people around the world will finally stand up for what is right.” 

We can’t decide how long Joe will survive, but we know that he doesn't have any longer if he doesn’t decide about the treatment.

Well, it does seem that Exotic will die behind bars, as he has chosen not to pursue any treatment. It does sound foolish of him not to get treatment.

TMZ broke the story that Joe had recently written up a new will, leaving everything to his fiancé, Seth Posey, whom he had met over the internet.

The couple had been dating for several months and had grown close, but now both have been officially engaged! He also wrote a letter that clearly shows that Joe's still got Seth on his mind; he concluded his recent letter by saying, "I could care less about dying, my birthday is coming up soon, and all I want is to see Seth.”

Joe has left 20 more years to serve behind bars; seeing him in this condition is heartbreaking. So what do you think? Does he deserve it?