It feels like a lifetime ago that the ridiculous Tiger King story dominated the online world but Carole Baskin is back in the headlines.
The controversial star is being sued by her missing ex-husband’s family for information related to his disappearance.
Baskin and Don Lewis were married but he had filed a restraining order against her. He then disappeared a day before a scheduled trip to Costa Rica in 1997 and was declared legally dead in 2002.
Now Lewis’ frustrated family have filed a lawsuit against Baskin to submit information and investigative material. They’re also offering a $100,000 reward for any information about what happened to him.
Baskin and Lewis started an animal sanctuary together in Tampa, Florida, which later became Big Cat Rescue.
Baskin initially gained worldwide fame when Tiger King launched on Netflix. Viewers were glued to the dramatic antics of her and fellow big-cat owner and nemesis Joe ‘Exotic’ Maldonado-Passage.
Theories about what actually happened to Lewis were included in the series, including serious suggestions that Baskin was responsible for his demise. It was Baskin who received most of her former husband’s $6 million estate after all. She has denied having anything to do with it though.
At a press conference in Tampa, Florida, Lewis’ daughter Gale Rathbone said Tiger King‘s success helped spur action in the case. She said: “Amazingly, our little family tragedy has become your tragedy.
“Our search for closure and truth has become your mission also.
Baskin told the Associated Press: “It’s been my policy not to discuss pending litigation until it’s been resolved.
“I had told some news outlets that I thought the press conference on 10 August was just a publicity stunt, but at that time was not aware there would be pending litigation.”
Check out a recap of what happened to Carole Baskin by E! News:
