Tiger King star Joe Exotic is the latest celebrity to try and take advantage of the popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) by launching a range for auction from his prison cell in Texas.
The main character of the infamous Netflix true crime documentary is currently serving a 22-year-sentence in federal prison for animal abuse and attempted murder for hire.
He's teaming up with MORE, a cryptocurrency platform and membership club, to offer cryptocurrency-themed digital artworks, 15 digital trading cards and authentic audio recordings from prison for sale.
There will also be a range of fungible goods in the auction, which starts June 18, US time, including the disgraced star's pistol and holster and his black leather jacket and pants set.
"I hope whoever purchases my favourite belongings is able to give them a well-deserved home," Exotic said.
"Being able to auction off collectibles makes me feel connected with the outside world, especially without my cats by my side. Whether you love me or hate me for what you think I've done, there's no doubt that everyone wants a piece of The Tiger King."
NFTs have exploded in popularity in 2021 with the first ever tweet selling for US$4 million and the iconic 'Charlie bit my finger' video selling for US$760,000.
The record for an NFT artwork is the US$69 million that digital artist Beeple landed for his piece 'Everydays - The First 5000 Days' in an auction at Christie's.
"There's no better way to engage the mainstream in blockchain technology than to tie in familiar faces and names," said Peter Klamka, MORE CEO and founder.
"Joe Exotic is America's favourite meme and anomaly; I'm extremely excited to be working with him and his team on this project to keep his story alive while he remains in prison."
His move into NFTs comes just a month after the former zoo owner launched his own cryptocurrency called $TKING, currently worth 0.000472 of a cent each.
Funds raised by buying the coins are being channelled to Exotic's defence fund and charity initiatives, according to his official website.
"We will never let Carole win! Find your inner Tiger as Joe, $TKING, and his legal team stage the comeback of the century!" the website states, in a reference to Carole Baskin.
She's the woman who Exotic had a long-running feud with and who he attempted to hire a hitman to kill.
Exotic and his team are currently preparing to launch $CUB, according to the website. That's another cryptocurrency, this time a dedicated charity token to "help fix children's smiles".
