‘Tiger King’ star Jeff Lowe wanted in Las Vegas after skipping court date (2024)

Authorities in Las Vegas are on the hunt for “Tiger King’s” Jeff Lowe after he failed to show up in court earlier this week, marking the latest in a long list of legal woes for the jungle cat keeper.

Four bench warrants were issued for the star of the Netflix documentary series when he skipped out on a scheduled appearance at the Las Vegas Municipal Court on Wednesday, TMZ reported. They stem from a 2017 case in which he was charged with three counts of not having a proper license or permit for wild animals, and one count of doing business without a license.

Lowe was convicted in 2018 on the charges but dodged jail time by vowing to avoid trouble in the future.

Each of the warrants costs $5,125 to settle, which means Lowe would have to shell out $20,500 to wipe out all four and set a new court date, according to KTNV.

‘Tiger King’ star Jeff Lowe wanted in Las Vegas after skipping court date (1)

What’s more, the reality star’s drama stretches well beyond Las Vegas. Over the weekend, Lowe and his wife, Lauren, were arrested in Oklahoma City on charges of driving under the influence. They were busted in separate instances on Saturday and each booked into jail around 4 a.m.

And back in May, more than five dozen big cats were seized by federal authorities from the couple’s Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park after they were accused of violating the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Department of Justice in a press release last month said that “68 protected lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids, and a jaguar” were taken during the raid at the wildlife park, first opened by Joe Exotic back in 1999.

Lowe and his wife have been running the Oklahoma zoo ever since 2016, when Exotic — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — was arrested for the attempted murder of Carole Baskin, a rival and fellow big cat enthusiast. He is currently serving a 22-year sentence in federal prison for the crime but has repeatedly claimed that he was set up by his former partner, Lowe.

Netflix’s “Tiger King,” featuring Exotic, Lowe, Baskin among a slew of other quirky characters, became a sensation in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was sweeping across the U.S.

‘Tiger King’ star Jeff Lowe wanted in Las Vegas after skipping court date (2024)

FAQs

‘Tiger King’ star Jeff Lowe wanted in Las Vegas after skipping court date? ›

The 56-year-old missed a hearing in connection to a 2017 case where he was hit with four charges — three of which were for having wild animals without the proper license or permit, a Las Vegas Municipal Court clerk told TMZ.

What happened to Jeff Lowe after Tiger King? ›

He went on to have a baby with his wife Lauren, and they have employed nanny Masha Diduk to look after their daughter. On December 23, 2021, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma terminated the Lowe's interest in the endangered animals seized from their facility.

What happened to Jeff and Lauren Lowe? ›

Jeff and Lauren Lowe of the now defunct Tiger King Park have been ordered to pay the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma $96,000 in fines by July 5, 2022. The Lowes' Oklahoma roadside zoo, formerly called Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, is closed.

Did Jeff Lowe help Joe Exotic? ›

Jeff Lowe used to work alongside "Tiger King" Joe Exotic at the G.W. Zoo, but then he took it over — and helped land Exotic in prison.

What happened to the Tiger Kings animals? ›

To date, nearly 150 animals have been rescued from the so-called stars of the Netflix TIGER KING series. Thankfully, the 141 Lions, Tigers, & Bears that have been rescued, now live and roam freely inside beautiful large acreage habitats at one of our three accredited sanctuaries.

Who from Tiger King went to jail? ›

(WEAR) — The man famously known as "Joe Exotic" and "The Tiger King" is back in a Florida jail. Jail records show Joseph Maldonado-Passage, 61, was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail at 6:10 a.m. Wednesday on a hold for a federal court hearing. Exotic was previously arrested in Gulf Breeze in 2018.

Is Jeff Lowe alive? ›

Lowe suffered from a neurological disease similar to ALS for approximately 18 years, until he died on August 24, 2018, in Colorado, United States.

How long is Joe Exotics' jail sentence? ›

Exotic was convicted in 2019 and sentenced to 22 years in prison on 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder-for-hire. He was also convicted of wildlife violations tied to killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying records.

Does Jeff Lowe own a zoo in Mexico? ›

Jeff tells TMZ ... he just signed a deal to build a zoo down in Mexico, on a 35-acre property between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. He says the new spot will be built among a lush jungle with natural water features, and he already has all the necessary permits for construction and possession of animals.

Who is Jeff Lowe's wife in Tiger King? ›

Lauren Lowe: Self - Jeff's Wife.

What did Joe Exotic do for a living? ›

Joseph Allen Maldonado (né Schreibvogel; born March 5, 1963), known professionally as Joe Exotic and nicknamed "The Tiger King", is an American media personality, businessman, and convicted felon who operated the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (also known as the G.W. Zoo, Tiger King Park and formerly the Garold ...

Why does Joe Exotic have a limp? ›

Exotic said he has experienced hip and pelvis pain, and for over a year, his stomach has hurt, and he walks with a limp. He intends to get a biopsy for his prostate and bladder, a colonoscopy and an endoscopy while at a specialist medical center.

What did Joe Exotic get indicted for? ›

According to previous reporting, Exotic was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2018 on two counts of murder-for-hire. He was also indicted on 19 counts of wildlife charges, which included the violation of the Endangered Species Act and Lacey Act.

Where are Jeff and Lauren Lowe now? ›

Jeff Lowe of the hit Netflix show Tiger King is relocating to Mexico with his wife Lauren Lowe. Lowe told TMZ he secured a contract to construct a zoo on 35 acres of property between Tulum and Playa del Carmen. He will do so with the help of a longtime friend who already has a small zoo in there.

Who owns Tiger King zoo now? ›

In September, in settlement of a lawsuit, the property will be transferred to Carole Baskin, the CEO of Big Cat Rescue in Florida and Joe Exotic's main nemesis in Tiger King. The animals at the zoo, unfortunately, will remain with Lowe, who is transferring them to his new facility in Thackerville, Oklahoma.

Who owns GW Zoo now? ›

In May 2020, federal judge Scott Palk of the Western District Court of Oklahoma gave ownership of the park to Baskin after ruling that Exotic fraudulently transferred ownership to his mother to avoid paying debts incurred as a result of Baskin's suit.

What happened to Doc Antle? ›

"Tiger King" star Doc Antle pleads guilty to federal wildlife trafficking charge. A wild animal trainer featured in the popular Netflix series "Tiger King" has pleaded guilty to federal wildlife trafficking charges, the Department of Justice announced Monday.

What has happened to Joe Exotic? ›

In 2019, Exotic was convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison on 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder for hire for the plot to kill Baskin.

What happened to John from Tiger King? ›

He and his wife are now living on a farm in Oklahoma. Netflix's Tiger King made Joe Exotic's name known across the country.

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