The 'Tiger King' star is currently serving a 22-year sentence for a 2017 murder-for-hire plot.
Joseph "Joe Exotic" Maldonado-Passage has been diagnosed with cancer. The Tiger King star, who is currently serving a 22-year sentence for the 2017 murder-for-hire plot to kill Carole Baskin, announced the news Wednesday on Instagram.
"Everyone, It is with a sad face that I have to tell you the doctors called me in today to break the news that my prostate biopsy came back with an aggressive cancer. I am still waiting on the results from other test [sic] as well," he wrote. "Right now I don’t want anyone’s pity and I’m sure Carole will have her own party over this!"
"What I need is the world to be my voice to be released, they have the proof I DID NOT DO THIS! And there is no reason for the district attorney to drag this out," Maldonado-Passage continued. "So I can go home and get treatment on my own or enjoy what life I have left with my loved ones! Say a prayer everyone & be my voice."
In a statement to ET, Maldonado-Passage's attorney, John M. Phillips, confirmed his client's diagnosis and revealed that he learned the news on a Nov. 1 phone call. During that call, the audio of which was obtained by ET, Maldonado-Passage told his lawyer that he has "a very aggressive prostate cancer."
In his statement to ET, Phillips characterized the phone call as "emotional."
"Joe is one of the most passionate, full of life, clients I have ever had the pleasure of representing. We’ve worked tirelessly over the past several months to uncover evidence, some of which will be revealed in Tiger King 2, airing on Nov. 17," Phillips said of the upcoming second season of the Netflix series. "Other information supporting his freedom will be revealed only in his court case."
"Joe informed me that his fears were true. He had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. As noted in Joe’s recent statements, he has been undergoing medical treatment and tests for a host of issues," Phillips' statement continued. "The PSA test is a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. It was high months ago. He finally obtained biopsies. They revealed cancer. Medical care is different in a prison environment and fewer options are available."
Phillips added, "The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated his sentence and information has revealed significant evidence of fraud and misconduct at his trial. However, prison medical care isn’t the best and justice is slow. It’s a competition of life and liberty no one wants any part of."
"It is often said, 'all we have is our health.' The last few years has taken everything from Joe -- his property, his freedom, his husband literally sold his clothes, his parents have passed away and now he faces cancer," Phillips' statement concluded. "Please keep Joe in your thoughts and prayers."
When ET spoke with Maldonado-Passage in April, he claimed that the prison system wasn't adequately addressing his medical issues.
"I have CVID, which is a common variable immune disease, which means I have no immune system, and I have to get blood infusions every three to four weeks, and I've only been getting them every three months," he claimed. "I was weighed again last week and I lost another 10 pounds, last week alone."
"I have hemoglobin anemia, which is another blood disease," he added. "They used to take me downtown to the cancer center for treatment but we stopped doing that. I refused treatment for tuberculosis last week, I'm dealing with another disease, my mouth is full of ulcers. I cannot eat. I look bad."
Watch the video below for more on the Tiger King star.
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