A recent arrest made by the FBI is being hailed as a victory by activists. According to several sources, the FBI conducted an arrest yesterday on Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, who was the main character in the first season of Tiger King on Netflix. The circumstances behind his detention in Horry County, South Carolina, were not made public. Please continue reading to find out additional information about his previous offenses.
Possible Criminal Charges Related to Money Laundering.
Myrtle Beach Safari is owned and operated by Doc Antle, who was a magician before establishing his first private zoo. This zoo in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is home to big cats and other endangered animals. At approximately 5:40 p.m. on June 3, Antle, 62 years old, was taken into custody and lodged at a detention center in North Myrtle Beach; however, no charges were brought against him.
However, evidence from several different sources indicates that the arrest was made on accusations related to the laundering of money. The proprietor of Myrtle Beach Safari is Doc Antle, who appeared on the pilot episode of Tiger King. Antle was accused of having s#x with minors, abusing women, and defrauding a wildlife organization in the follow-up documentary series “Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story,” broadcast on Netflix.
Activists, despite this, have expressed their approval of his arrest because, in recent years, Antle has been charged with many offenses for the illegal trafficking of exotic animals and their abusive treatment. “We applaud the Department of Justice and the FBI for arresting Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle, a longtime scoundrel engaged in the egregious and inhumane trade of dangerous big cats,” said Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action. “Doc” Antle was involved in the illegal trade of dangerous big cats.
He went on to say that “public exploitation,” “irresponsible breeding,” and “inhumane living circumstances” are all important issues in the United States and that “caging these wild animals also presents a hazard to human health and safety.”
A Little Bit More About Doc Antle
An animal trainer and operator of private zoos in the United States, Mahamayavi Bhagavan Antle is also known as Kevin Antle and Doc Antle. Antle began working at a private zoo in his childhood, and in 1983, he opened up his dog breeding facility. Antle has appeared as a guest on several different television shows and worked as an animal trainer for several movies, such as Ace Ventura and Dr. Doolittle.
The man who rose to prominence due to his extensive knowledge of big cats and other endangered species has a shady side. Throughout his career, allegations of animal abuse have been made against him. After an investigation by the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, Antle was charged with 15 crimes in October 2020, including two felony counts connected to the illegal trade of wildlife and 13 further misdemeanors.
Antle was also called out in public for allegedly having inappropriate interactions with juveniles when working at the private Buckingham County, Virginia zoo and for allegedly running a cult at the Myrtle Beach Safari facility, all of which allegations he categorically refutes.
The zookeeper was brought in to serve as an animal expert for movies such as “Doctor Dolittle.” He also provided animals for films such as “Mighty Joe Young,” “The Jungle Book,” and “The Jungle Book 2.” In addition to that, Antle is acknowledged as a “principal animal trainer” for his work on the Ace Ventura movie. Activists who have been working to bring him down will likely feel relieved by the news of his arrest, even though the charges against him relate to money laundering.