Latest news with #Antle
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'Tiger King' star Doc Antle gets prison time for trafficking endangered animals
Doc Antle, a Myrtle Beach Safari operator known for his appearance in Netflix's "Tiger King," has been sentenced for wildlife trafficking and money laundering. Bhagavan "Doc" Antle pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year in federal prison and three years of probation, according to a Department of Justice press release on Tuesday, July 8. Antle, 64, also must pay a $55,000 fine and forfeit three chimpanzees and nearly $200,000 to the government. Prosecutors say Antle laundered over $500,000 in cash tied to an operation smuggling Mexican immigrants across the U.S. border. Officials described the operation as "unlawful and unethical," saying Antle and others falsified records, funneled transactions through nonprofits and purchased and sold newborn endangered species, including baby chimpanzees, cheetahs, lions and tigers, "all while promoting themselves as conservationists," Adam Gustafson, acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division, said. 'Tiger King' star pleads guilty to conspiring to money laundering, breaking federal law Two men involved in the operation, Jason Clay and Andrew Sawyer, have also been sentenced. One woman, Shaylynn Kolwyck-Peterson, pleaded guilty in June for illegally selling Antle a chimpanzee for $200,000. The Myrtle Beach exotic wildlife safari still appears to be open, but only by reservation. Antle's safari was featured in the hit 2020 Netflix series and a brief 2021 spinoff, "Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story." 'Tiger King' star Joe Exotic is married: 'Meet my husband' "Tiger King" also made a star of Joe Exotic, born Joseph Maldonado. He was similarly convicted of crimes involving his animals, as well as hiring hitmen to kill his chief critic, Carole Baskin, and is serving a 21-year prison sentence.
The Advertiser
09-07-2025
- The Advertiser
Tiger King star jailed for animal trafficking
Tiger King star Bhagavan "Doc" Antle is going to prison, but not for as long as prosecutors wanted, after admitting he broke federal law buying endangered animals to keep at his zoo in South Carolina. Antle, 65, was sentenced to one year and one day behind bars and fined $US55,000 ($A85,000) on Tuesday, nearly two years after pleading guilty to trafficking in exotic animals and money laundering. It was likely the end to the legal dramas that surrounded Tiger King, the Netflix true crime documentary that captivated a country shut down by COVID-19. The star, Joe Exotic, is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill the other star, Carole Baskin. Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was a collector and private zookeeper from Oklahoma, and Baskin runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Antle appeared in the first season with Exotic and Baskin and was the star of the show's third season. Prosecutors say Antle bought animals on the black market Antle's crimes were unrelated. He laundered money used in a human smuggling scheme because he needed large amounts of cash quickly to buy animals like chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs and other creatures, prosecutor Patrick Duggan said. These animals are illegal to sell because they are endangered, and their high prices could encourage poachers to steal them from the wild, Duggan explained. "He was knowingly and illegally trading them as part of a black market that drives another black market of poaching and smuggling," Duggan said in court on Tuesday. Antle's lawyers requested a sentence of just probation or home confinement, saying their client needed to care for the 150 exotic animals that consume 450kg of meat a day at his Myrtle Beach Safari. They said many of the animals only respond to Antle. About 25 friends and family packed a federal courtroom in Charleston. Several told Judge Joseph Dawson III that Antle was generous and caring. They said he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poaching and preserve wild habitats for tigers, lions and chimpanzees. The judge was swayed. Federal guidelines called for about two years in prison, to which prosecutors agreed. But Dawson said, although Antle broke federal law, all the evidence pointed to him caring for animals. Antle apologised at the end of his sentencing hearing for causing problems for his life's work. "I made a mistake, I did stupid things," Antle said, adding, "I hope I'll be able to pull it back together for everybody." Tiger King star Bhagavan "Doc" Antle is going to prison, but not for as long as prosecutors wanted, after admitting he broke federal law buying endangered animals to keep at his zoo in South Carolina. Antle, 65, was sentenced to one year and one day behind bars and fined $US55,000 ($A85,000) on Tuesday, nearly two years after pleading guilty to trafficking in exotic animals and money laundering. It was likely the end to the legal dramas that surrounded Tiger King, the Netflix true crime documentary that captivated a country shut down by COVID-19. The star, Joe Exotic, is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill the other star, Carole Baskin. Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was a collector and private zookeeper from Oklahoma, and Baskin runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Antle appeared in the first season with Exotic and Baskin and was the star of the show's third season. Prosecutors say Antle bought animals on the black market Antle's crimes were unrelated. He laundered money used in a human smuggling scheme because he needed large amounts of cash quickly to buy animals like chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs and other creatures, prosecutor Patrick Duggan said. These animals are illegal to sell because they are endangered, and their high prices could encourage poachers to steal them from the wild, Duggan explained. "He was knowingly and illegally trading them as part of a black market that drives another black market of poaching and smuggling," Duggan said in court on Tuesday. Antle's lawyers requested a sentence of just probation or home confinement, saying their client needed to care for the 150 exotic animals that consume 450kg of meat a day at his Myrtle Beach Safari. They said many of the animals only respond to Antle. About 25 friends and family packed a federal courtroom in Charleston. Several told Judge Joseph Dawson III that Antle was generous and caring. They said he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poaching and preserve wild habitats for tigers, lions and chimpanzees. The judge was swayed. Federal guidelines called for about two years in prison, to which prosecutors agreed. But Dawson said, although Antle broke federal law, all the evidence pointed to him caring for animals. Antle apologised at the end of his sentencing hearing for causing problems for his life's work. "I made a mistake, I did stupid things," Antle said, adding, "I hope I'll be able to pull it back together for everybody." Tiger King star Bhagavan "Doc" Antle is going to prison, but not for as long as prosecutors wanted, after admitting he broke federal law buying endangered animals to keep at his zoo in South Carolina. Antle, 65, was sentenced to one year and one day behind bars and fined $US55,000 ($A85,000) on Tuesday, nearly two years after pleading guilty to trafficking in exotic animals and money laundering. It was likely the end to the legal dramas that surrounded Tiger King, the Netflix true crime documentary that captivated a country shut down by COVID-19. The star, Joe Exotic, is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill the other star, Carole Baskin. Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was a collector and private zookeeper from Oklahoma, and Baskin runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Antle appeared in the first season with Exotic and Baskin and was the star of the show's third season. Prosecutors say Antle bought animals on the black market Antle's crimes were unrelated. He laundered money used in a human smuggling scheme because he needed large amounts of cash quickly to buy animals like chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs and other creatures, prosecutor Patrick Duggan said. These animals are illegal to sell because they are endangered, and their high prices could encourage poachers to steal them from the wild, Duggan explained. "He was knowingly and illegally trading them as part of a black market that drives another black market of poaching and smuggling," Duggan said in court on Tuesday. Antle's lawyers requested a sentence of just probation or home confinement, saying their client needed to care for the 150 exotic animals that consume 450kg of meat a day at his Myrtle Beach Safari. They said many of the animals only respond to Antle. About 25 friends and family packed a federal courtroom in Charleston. Several told Judge Joseph Dawson III that Antle was generous and caring. They said he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poaching and preserve wild habitats for tigers, lions and chimpanzees. The judge was swayed. Federal guidelines called for about two years in prison, to which prosecutors agreed. But Dawson said, although Antle broke federal law, all the evidence pointed to him caring for animals. Antle apologised at the end of his sentencing hearing for causing problems for his life's work. "I made a mistake, I did stupid things," Antle said, adding, "I hope I'll be able to pull it back together for everybody." Tiger King star Bhagavan "Doc" Antle is going to prison, but not for as long as prosecutors wanted, after admitting he broke federal law buying endangered animals to keep at his zoo in South Carolina. Antle, 65, was sentenced to one year and one day behind bars and fined $US55,000 ($A85,000) on Tuesday, nearly two years after pleading guilty to trafficking in exotic animals and money laundering. It was likely the end to the legal dramas that surrounded Tiger King, the Netflix true crime documentary that captivated a country shut down by COVID-19. The star, Joe Exotic, is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill the other star, Carole Baskin. Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was a collector and private zookeeper from Oklahoma, and Baskin runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Antle appeared in the first season with Exotic and Baskin and was the star of the show's third season. Prosecutors say Antle bought animals on the black market Antle's crimes were unrelated. He laundered money used in a human smuggling scheme because he needed large amounts of cash quickly to buy animals like chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs and other creatures, prosecutor Patrick Duggan said. These animals are illegal to sell because they are endangered, and their high prices could encourage poachers to steal them from the wild, Duggan explained. "He was knowingly and illegally trading them as part of a black market that drives another black market of poaching and smuggling," Duggan said in court on Tuesday. Antle's lawyers requested a sentence of just probation or home confinement, saying their client needed to care for the 150 exotic animals that consume 450kg of meat a day at his Myrtle Beach Safari. They said many of the animals only respond to Antle. About 25 friends and family packed a federal courtroom in Charleston. Several told Judge Joseph Dawson III that Antle was generous and caring. They said he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poaching and preserve wild habitats for tigers, lions and chimpanzees. The judge was swayed. Federal guidelines called for about two years in prison, to which prosecutors agreed. But Dawson said, although Antle broke federal law, all the evidence pointed to him caring for animals. Antle apologised at the end of his sentencing hearing for causing problems for his life's work. "I made a mistake, I did stupid things," Antle said, adding, "I hope I'll be able to pull it back together for everybody."
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Tiger King star jailed for trafficking and laundering after buying chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs on black market
ZOOKEEPER CAGED Tiger King star jailed for trafficking and laundering after buying chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs on black market Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TIGER King star Bhagavan "Doc" Antle has been jailed for trafficking exotic animals and money laundering. Antle, 65, was sentenced to one year and one day behind bars and fined $55,000 on Tuesday - two years after he pleaded guilty to the charges. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle leaves the Charleston federal courthouse onTuesday Credit: AP 4 He has been jailed for one year Credit: AP 4 He purchased lion cubs from Virginia to display in his South Carolina petting zoo Credit: AP Prosecutors said Antle sold or bought cheetahs, lions, tigers and a chimpanzee without the proper paperwork for a decade. They said he also laundered more than $500,000 so he could quickly get cash to buy more animals. Antle's sentencing was heard in a federal courtroom in Charleston, South Carolina - five years after the true crime documentary Tiger King captivated a country shut down by COVID-19. The show centred on dealers and conservationists of big cats, focusing on disputes between Joe Exotic, a collector and private zookeeper from Oklahoma, and Carole Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Exotic is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. Antle appeared in the first season with Exotic and Baskin and was the star of the show's third season. Authorities said he laundered money used in a human smuggling scheme because he needed large amounts of cash quickly to buy animals, including chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and other creatures. Prosecutor Patrick Duggan said: "These animals are illegal to sell because they are endangered, and their high prices could encourage poachers to steal them from the wild. "He was knowingly and illegally trading them as part of a black market that drives another black market of poaching and smuggling." Customers would pay $200 for five minutes and photos with a baby chimp or $7,000 for a sleepover. Antle would sometimes ride into tours on an elephant. 4 Antle is currently on bond and the sentencing will take place on September 14, 2023 Credit: Instagram Antle's lawyers requested a sentence of just probation or home confinement, saying their client needed to care for the 150 exotic animals that consume 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) of meat a day at his Myrtle Beach Safari. They said many of the animals only respond to Antle. About 25 friends and family packed a federal courtroom in Charleston. Several told Judge Joseph Dawson III that Antle was generous and caring. They said he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poaching and preserve wild habitats for tigers, lions and chimpanzees. Federal guidelines called for about two years in prison, to which prosecutors agreed. But Dawson said, although Antle broke federal law, all the evidence pointed to him caring for animals. Antle apologized at the end of his sentencing hearing for causing problems for his life's work. "I made a mistake, I did stupid things," Antle said, adding, "I hope I'll be able to pull it back together for everybody." Antles Myrtle Beach Safari was known for charging hundreds or thousands of dollars to let people pet and hold baby animals like lions, tigers and monkeys that were so young they were still being bottle-fed. The zoo remains open by reservation only.
The Irish Sun
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Tiger King star jailed for trafficking and laundering after buying chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs on black market
TIGER King star Bhagavan "Doc" Antle has been jailed for trafficking exotic animals and money laundering. Antle, 65, was sentenced to one year and one day behind bars and fined $55,000 on Tuesday - two years after he pleaded guilty to the charges. Advertisement 4 Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle leaves the Charleston federal courthouse onTuesday Credit: AP 4 He has been jailed for one year Credit: AP 4 He purchased lion cubs from Virginia to display in his South Carolina petting zoo Credit: AP Prosecutors said Antle sold or bought cheetahs, lions, tigers and a chimpanzee without the proper paperwork for a decade. They said he also laundered more than $500,000 so he could quickly get cash to buy more animals. Antle's sentencing was heard in a federal courtroom in Charleston, South Carolina - five years after the true crime documentary Tiger King captivated a country shut down by COVID-19. The show centred on dealers and conservationists of big cats, focusing on disputes between Advertisement tiger king star jailed Exotic is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. Antle appeared in the first season with Exotic and Baskin and was the star of the show's third season. Authorities said he laundered money used in a human smuggling scheme because he needed large amounts of cash quickly to buy animals, including chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and other creatures. Prosecutor Patrick Duggan said: "These animals are illegal to sell because they are endangered, and their high prices could encourage poachers to steal them from the wild. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Exclusive Exclusive "He was knowingly and illegally trading them as part of a black market that drives another black market of poaching and smuggling." Customers would pay $200 for five minutes and photos with a baby chimp or $7,000 for a sleepover. Antle would sometimes ride into tours on an elephant. 4 Antle is currently on bond and the sentencing will take place on September 14, 2023 Credit: Instagram Advertisement Antle's lawyers requested a sentence of just probation or home confinement, saying their client needed to care for the 150 exotic animals that consume 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) of meat a day at his Myrtle Beach Safari. They said many of the animals only respond to Antle. About 25 friends and family packed a federal courtroom in Charleston. Several told Judge Joseph Dawson III that Antle was generous and caring. Advertisement They said he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poaching and preserve wild habitats for tigers, lions and chimpanzees. Federal guidelines called for about two years in prison, to which prosecutors agreed. But Dawson said, although Antle broke federal law , all the evidence pointed to him caring for animals. Antle apologized at the end of his sentencing hearing for causing problems for his life's work. Advertisement "I made a mistake, I did stupid things," Antle said, adding, "I hope I'll be able to pull it back together for everybody." Antles Myrtle Beach Safari was known for charging hundreds or thousands of dollars to let people pet and hold baby animals like lions, tigers and monkeys that were so young they were still being bottle-fed. The zoo remains open by reservation only.
Metro
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Tiger King star pleads guilty to trafficking animals and laundering money
A Tiger King star from the hit Netflix phenomenon is facing up to 10 years in prison for trafficking exotic animals and money laundering. It has now been five years since the documentary first captivated audiences when it aired in March 2020 during the peak of Covid-19. The infamous series offered a peak behind the curtain of dealers and conservationists of big cats, focusing specifically on the feud between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. Oklahoma native Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is currently serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. Now, however, Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle – who was a central figure – could be facing a similar fate in jail. Antle, who owns private zoo Myrtle Beach Safari, appeared in the first season of the documentary and was the star of the third season. His zoo was renowned for earning hundreds of thousands of dollars by allowing customers to pet and hold baby animals, such as lions, tigers and monkeys, many of whom were still being bottle-fed. Antle would also reportedly sometimes ride into tours on an elephant. But, after pleading guilty in November 2023 to trafficking animals and laundering money, he could now be facing 10 years in prison. The federal charges brought against him came to light after the Tiger King series aired, and he has remained on bail since his arrest in June 2022. Prosecutors said he sold or bought cheetahs, lions, tigers and a chimpanzee without the proper paperwork. It has also been alleged that Antle laundered more than $500,000 that an informant told him was being used to get people into the U.S. illegally to work. After listening to his phone calls, the FBI reportedly heard Antle say during a phone call: 'I had to get a monkey, but the people won't take a check. They only take cash. So what do you do?' It is not yet known what the specific punishment will be sought by prosecutors and any defence arguments for leniency remain undisclosed. More Trending Three other people who pleaded guilty in his investigation have received either probation or a four-month prison sentence. This comes after Exotic announced he had got married yet again in April despite currently being behind bars. The 62-year-old revealed he has got married to fellow inmate Jorge Flores Maldonado, 33. View More » Sharing a photoshopped snap of them wearing suits to mark the occasion, he wrote: 'Never been more proud of someone. Meet my husband Jorge Flores Maldonado.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
