Warning: Spoilers ahead for Netflix’s Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. Since Netflix’s Tiger King, Jeff Lowe‘s net worth has become a hot topic of discussion. And we understand why. The seven-episode docuseries, which premiered on March 20 and has been binged by almost every Netflix user out there, follows the privately owned exotic cat industry in the United States. Among the characters is a man named Jeff Lowe, a swinger who would sneak lion and tiger cubs into high-end Las Vegas hotels for parties and to attract women. Out of every character from Tiger King, Jeff is for sure one of the more mysterious ones. Let’s find out more about him ahead.
How Does He Make His Money?
Jeff was raised with exotic animals. As he explained in the docuseries, his grandfather founded Robin’s Brothers Circus in 1928 and some of his first birthday gifts were big cat cubs. In 2015, Jeff met Joe Exotic, the former owner of The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, when he tried to buy a cub from him. It was at this time that Jeff realized how bad Joe’s financial situation was with his park, which is when Jeff decided to invest in the zoo to turn it around and keep some of his animals there.
As Tiger King viewers remember, Joe was forced to file for bankruptcy after his rival, Carole Baskin, sued him for copyright infringement and won $1 million. After he filed for bankruptcy, Jeff and his wife, Lauren Lowe, became the new owners of The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. After he learned that Joe was being investigated by the federal government for a murder-for-hire plot to kill Carole, Jeff became an informant and fed information to the government, which led to Joe’s arrest and the end of his friendship with Jeff.
Image: Netflix.
As for his role at the park, according to the park’s website, Jeff is the zoo’s CEO. The site also claims that Jeff worked as a manager for celebrities, such as Robbie and Evel Knievel. He also worked with Prince. Around 2018, Jeff also advertised on his website a Jungle Bus, a vehicle that would pick people up on the Las Vegas strip and and take them to a” top secret” hideout to play with tigers. The plan was eventually shut down.
But it seems like Jeff’s most recent income came from the zoo. According to the park’s website, basic admission costs $15. There are also special packages, such as sloth encounters and private playtimes, that charge $50 a person, as well as an exotic animal tour that costs $55 per person. A deluxe private playtime runs $80 per head. But the zoo’s most expensive experience is the VIP Behind the Scenes tour, which costs $175 per person.
What Are His Legal Troubles?
Like everyone in Tiger King, Jeff wasn’t immune to legal troubles. In 2018, Jeff was charged with keeping exotic animals, including a lemur, a liger and a tiger, in his Las Vegas home without a proper license. After he entered a plea deal, his animals were seized and he was forced to pay a $10,000 fine.
What’s His Net Worth?
As explained earlier, Jeff worked as a manager for the celebrity stuntmen Evel and Robbie Knievel before he became the owner of Joe Exotic’s zoo. Given that the Knievel’s combined net worth was around $13 million ($10 million for Robbie, and $3 million for Evel) at the time, according to Cinemaholic, it’s assumed that Jeff received a cut of their profits as their manager, which would’ve at leasted netted him a few hundred thousand dollars a year. Jeff has also worked with Prince, who has an estimated $300 million net worth, though it’s unclear what Jeff’s role was for the singer.
Image: Netflix.
So what’s his net worth now? According to a 2016 report, Jeff was a millionaire, and it’s only expected that his bank account has grown since. With the income from his park, which we detailed earlier, Jeff’s net worth could be anywhere between $5 million and $10 million, according to Cinemaholic. His wealth is evident in Jeff’s decision to shut down Joe’s former park amid the coronavirus pandemic and open a new facility, called The Oklahoma Zoo.