At 5:40 p.m., Doc Antle was arrested at a North Myrtle Beach detention facility. At the time, the accusations were not made public. Antle is well known for his role as a challenger to Joe Exotic in the popular Netflix docuseries Tiger King. In recent years, he has been accused of various offenses and animal cruelty, and campaigners have voiced their relief with his newest arrest. In an interview with a news station, they said,
“We thank the Department of Justice and the FBI for apprehending Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle, a longstanding crook involved in the heinous and cruel trading of endangered large cats.” Irresponsible breeding, cruel living conditions, and public exploitation are important issues in the United States, and enclosing these wild creatures poses a risk to human health and safety.”
Doc Antle’s arrest and charges
Doc Antle was detained on Friday for an unspecified reason. According to the most recent details from federal law enforcement authorities, the allegations are connected to money laundering and he will appear in court next week. He was indicted in October 2020 by a grand jury in Frederick County, Virginia, after a protracted investigation by the Virginia Attorney General’s Animal Law Unit. The allegations included criminal wildlife trafficking as well as misdemeanor animal cruelty and Endangered Species Act breaches.
‘Tiger King’s’ Doc Antle Is Arrested By The FBI https://t.co/GBVWurxmrM via @Deadline
— Marcos Arellano (@marcosarellano) June 4, 2022
Prosecutors said that Antle subjected lions to harsh, severe, and inhumane treatment, culminating in torture. Antle’s Myrtle Beach Safari was raided in December 2019 by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and the Horry County Police Department. Doc informed the reporters that the lions were being tested for DNA as part of a multi-state inquiry. In 2020, he was reported to be under investigation by the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Justice for the unlawful selling of large cats, including tigers.
All About Doc Antle
Doc Antle began his career as a magician before opening a private zoo in Buckingham County, Virginia. When it was opened in 1983, the zoo had 100 species such as lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, and elephants. The 62-year-old is the creator and director of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as well as the Myrtle Beach Safari, a facility tour. He is also a self-proclaimed environmentalist and the executive director of the Rare Species Fund, a non-profit that seems to support animal protection. Antle has appeared in films such as Dr. Dolittle and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as an animal specialist. He also featured on late-night chat programs and supplied animals for films such as The Jungle Book, Mighty Joe Young, and The War.
