Oh, you thought the “Tiger King” drama was over?
A federal judge has granted Carole Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue control of Joe Exotic’s former Oklahoma zoo properties. U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk found that the properties were fraudulently transferred to Exotic’s mother in order to avoid paying Baskin under a $1 million trademark judgment.
“Big Cat Rescue’s constructive trust and equitable lien in and to the buildings shall survive any physical or title transfer of the building and shall follow any proceeds, except as to a good faith purchased for value,” the 11-page order states.
Big Cat Rescue will also be rewarded control of several pieces of property at the zoo including cars and cabins. The judge ordered the defendants to require their current zoo operator to leave within 120 days and remove all the zoo animals on the property.
The judgement comes after Big Cat Rescue sued Joe Exotic’s mother, Shirley M. Schreibvogel, for the fraudulent transfer of the property.
“Schreibvogel later admitted under oath that the zoo land was transferred to her by Joe Maldonado to remove it from the reach of creditors, including BCR, should BCR win its Florida lawsuit,” the complaint states. “Schreibvogel also admitted in 2015, via a confession of judgment she entered into to resolve a lawsuit filed against he by the Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee overseeing Joe Maldonado’s personal bankruptcy estate, that the zoo land was fraudulently transferred to her by Joe Maldonado in 2011 to avoid his creditors.”
