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The Advertiser
a day ago
- 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."
CBS News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Doc Antle of "Tiger King" fame sentenced to a year in prison for animal trafficking
"Tiger King" star Bhagavan "Doc" Antle is going to prison 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 $55,000 on Tuesday, nearly two years after he pleaded guilty to trafficking in exotic animals and money laundering. He also had to forfeit three chimpanzees and more than $197,000 to the government. He entered his plea in November 2023. "Doc Antle portrayed himself as a conservationist. But in reality, he was a key player in the illegal chimpanzee trade, and he laundered more than half a million dollars through a complex web of deceit," said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina in a statement. 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, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado, is currently incarcerated at Federal Medical Center Fort Worth, 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. 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 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 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) of meat a day at his Myrtle Beach Safari, a 50-acre for-profit zoo that offers tours and private encounters with exotic wildlife. The website offers wild encounters day tours starting at $389 per person. His attorneys 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 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." Antle's 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. 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. The zoo remains open by reservation only. 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 knows federal law well and was able to avoid prosecution for years, prosecutors said. He would accept a large "donation" for an animal to his conservation foundation. He headed the Rare Species Fund, a nonprofit organization registered in South Carolina. He would claim to keep the animal in the same state he bought it, but then move it to his Myrtle Beach zoo, prosecutors said. The FBI was listening to Antle's phone calls with an informant as he explained a baby chimpanzee could easily cost $200,000. Private zookeepers can charge hundreds of dollars for photos with docile young primates or other animals, but the profit window is only open for a few years before the growing animals can no longer be safely handled. "I had to get a monkey, but the people won't take a check. They only take cash. So what do you do?" Antle said according to a transcript of the phone call in court papers. Antle will have to give up three chimpanzees he bought as part of his plea deal. Two of Antle's employees have already been sentenced for their roles in his schemes. Meredith Bybee was given a year of probation for selling a chimpanzee, while Andrew "Omar" Sawyer, who prosecutors said helped Antle launder money, was given two years of probation.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
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."
NBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Latest 'Tiger King' twist finds 'Doc' Antle facing possible prison sentence for animal trafficking
Five years after the true crime documentary 'Tiger King' captivated a country shut down by COVID-19, the final legal troubles for one of its main characters will be resolved Tuesday in a courtroom in South Carolina. Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle faces up to 10 years in prison for trafficking in exotic animals and money laundering after pleading guilty in November 2023. Exactly what punishment prosecutors are asking for and any arguments for leniency from Antle's attorneys were kept from the public before Tuesday morning's hearing in federal court in Charleston. Three others who pleaded guilty in his investigation received either probation or a four-month prison sentence. Antle's sentence is the final true-life chapter of the Tiger King saga. The Netflix series debuted in March 2020 near the peak of COVID-19 restrictions. The show centered 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, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. Antle, who owns a private zoo called Myrtle Beach Safari, appeared in the first season of the documentary and was the star of the third season. Antle's zoo 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. Customers could have photos or videos made. Antle would sometimes ride into tours on an elephant. Myrtle Beach Safari remains open by reservation only, according to its website. Antle has remained out on bail since his arrest in June 2022. Antle's federal charges were brought after the Tiger King series. Prosecutors said he sold or bought cheetahs, lions, tigers and a chimpanzee without the proper paperwork. And they said in a separate scheme, Antle laundered more than $500,000 that an informant told him was being used to get people into the U.S. illegally to work. Antle was used to having large amounts of money he could move around quickly, investigators said. The FBI was listening to Antle's phone calls with the informant as he explained a baby chimpanzee could easily cost $200,000. Private zookeepers can charge hundreds of dollars for photos with docile young primates or other animals, but the profit window is only open for a few years before the growing animals can no longer be safely handled. 'I had to get a monkey, but the people won't take a check. They only take cash. So what do you do?' Antle said according to a transcript of the phone call in court papers. Two of Antle's employees have already been sentenced for their roles in his schemes. Meredith Bybee was given a year of probation for selling a chimpanzee while Andrew 'Omar' Sawyer, who prosecutors said helped Antle launder money, was given two years of probation. Jason Clay, a Texas private zoo owner, pleaded guilty to illegally selling a primate and was sentenced to four months in prison, while charges were dropped against California ranch owner Charles Sammut. Antle was also convicted in 2023 in a Virginia court of four counts of wildlife trafficking over sales of lions and was sentenced to two years of prison suspended 'upon five years of good behavior.' An appeals court overturned two of the convictions, ruling that Virginia law bans the sale of endangered species but not their purchase. Antle was found not guilty of five counts of animal cruelty at that same Virginia trial.
2 days ago
- Entertainment
Latest 'Tiger King' twist finds 'Doc' Antle facing possible prison sentence for animal trafficking
Five years after the true crime documentary 'Tiger King' captivated a country shut down by COVID-19, the final legal troubles for one of its main characters will be resolved Tuesday in a courtroom in South Carolina. Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle faces up to 10 years in prison for trafficking in exotic animals and money laundering after pleading guilty in November 2023. Exactly what punishment prosecutors are asking for and any arguments for leniency from Antle's attorneys were kept from the public before Tuesday morning's hearing in federal court in Charleston. Three others who pleaded guilty in his investigation received either probation or a four-month prison sentence. Antle's sentence is the final true-life chapter of the Tiger King saga. The Netflix series debuted in March 2020 near the peak of COVID-19 restrictions. The show centered 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, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. Antle, who owns a private zoo called Myrtle Beach Safari, appeared in the first season of the documentary and was the star of the third season. Antle's zoo 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. Customers could have photos or videos made. Antle would sometimes ride into tours on an elephant. Myrtle Beach Safari remains open by reservation only, according to its website. Antle has remained out on bail since his arrest in June 2022. Antle's federal charges were brought after the Tiger King series. Prosecutors said he sold or bought cheetahs, lions, tigers and a chimpanzee without the proper paperwork. And they said in a separate scheme, Antle laundered more than $500,000 that an informant told him was being used to get people into the U.S. illegally to work. Antle was used to having large amounts of money he could move around quickly, investigators said. The FBI was listening to Antle's phone calls with the informant as he explained a baby chimpanzee could easily cost $200,000. Private zookeepers can charge hundreds of dollars for photos with docile young primates or other animals, but the profit window is only open for a few years before the growing animals can no longer be safely handled. 'I had to get a monkey, but the people won't take a check. They only take cash. So what do you do?" Antle said according to a transcript of the phone call in court papers. Two of Antle's employees have already been sentenced for their roles in his schemes. Meredith Bybee was given a year of probation for selling a chimpanzee while Andrew 'Omar' Sawyer, who prosecutors said helped Antle launder money, was given two years of probation. Jason Clay, a Texas private zoo owner, pleaded guilty to illegally selling a primate and was sentenced to four months in prison, while charges were dropped against California ranch owner Charles Sammut. Antle was also convicted in 2023 in a Virginia court of four counts of wildlife trafficking over sales of lions and was sentenced to two years of prison suspended 'upon five years of good behavior.' An appeals court overturned two of the convictions, ruling that Virginia law bans the sale of endangered species but not their purchase. Antle was found not guilty of five counts of animal cruelty at that same Virginia trial.
