Tiger King 's Joe Exotic Ends Engagement After His Fiancé 'Moved On' Following His Prison Release

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Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka "Joe Exotic," is no longer engaged.

On Thursday, the Tiger King star's attorney confirmed to PEOPLE that he has broken up with fiancé John Graham. The twosome met while in prison together, but Graham "has moved on" since being released.

"Joe has shared with me that prison is a very tough place to be, and when you are innocent, it is even worse. He states that you meet all kinds of people in prison and that most are really good," his attorney says. "John Graham spent 10 years of his life in prison and Joe states that he would like to believe that they did fall in love.  However, now that he has gone home, he has moved on."

His attorney continued, "Joe will continue to have a close relationship with his son and some members of John's family. He has nothing to say [that's] bad about John Graham and wishes him well as he gets his life back."

Per Joe's rep, "a very special man" has "come back into his life to pick up where [they] left off." Joe is also eager for what's next: "He 'just wants to be happy and for God's sake, to go home!'"

TMZ was the first to report the breakup news.

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Joe's attorney's statement concluded by noting how his legal team is "very busy with his criminal appeal," as he serves time for allegedly orchestrating a plot to murder his nemesis, Carole Baskin. He was originally sentenced to 22 years in January 2020 but was re-sentenced to 21 years earlier this year.

One year after his initial sentencing, Joe's husband Dillon Passage announced their split after four years of marriage. Joe — who has prostate cancer — then filed for divorce in March.

Joe's legal team also confirmed to PEOPLE on Thursday that they're "making slow but steady progress" on getting the divorce finalized.

"We still have not been able to obtain the information requested in our subpoenas to confirm existing marital assets that Joe may not be aware of," his attorney says. "But we are getting somewhere."

RELATED VIDEO: Joe Exotic Transferred to North Carolina Medical Facility After 'Aggressive Cancer' Diagnosis

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It was announced on April 1 that Joe was engaged to John. In a letter obtained by PEOPLE, Joe said of the relationship, "If you ever watched Twilight, it's as close as that." Joe also wrote that the romance began with "a fast attraction" after they "were housed in the same unit."

"John talks like he is from 400 years ago," he continued. "He is a practicing witch and is extremely romantic and caring. The love we share is like no other I've ever experienced."