Doc Antle, a wildlife trainer who appeared in the hit Netflix series ‘Tiger King’, has been arrested by the FBI in South Carolina for money laundering.
According to TMZ, the 62-year-old was arrested in H Taxi County just after 3:30 p.m. local time on Friday, with federal law enforcement sources confirming ‘money laundering-related charges.’
The owner of the Myrtle Beach Safari – born Bhagavan Antle – is due to appear in court next week.
Arrested: Tiger King star Doc Antle, 62, was arrested in South Carolina earlier today on money laundering charges under TMZ, and is due to appear in court next week.
This is not the first legal issue that Antle – who has long been the target of criticism for his tropical wildlife sanctuary – has faced.
In October 2020, the American animal trainer was indicted for wildlife trafficking in Virginia, after he allegedly trade in lion cubs between South Carolina and Virginia.
Follow State Attorney General Doc was charged with one count of wildlife trafficking, one count of conspiracy to trade in wildlife, and 13 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and the Species Act. emergency.
Legal issues: In October 2020, the animal trainer was indicted for wildlife trafficking in Virginia, after he was accused of trafficking lion cubs between South Carolina and Virginia
Doc’s daughters, Tawny Antle and Tilakum Watterson, were also charged with misdemeanor charges.
Tawny was charged with one misdemeanor of animal cruelty, while Tilakum was charged with two misdemeanors of cruelty to animals and two misdemeanors for violating the Endangered Species Act.
Doc told TMZ at the time: ‘I am deeply shocked and disappointed by the allegations that the Commonwealth of Virginia has filed against me, and the way they have sought to involve my daughters in this matter. ‘
Continually criticized: He has also faced criticism from PETA for allowing celebrity guests such as Beyoncé, Floyd Mayweather and Larsa Pippen to have physical contact with wildlife
He went on to ‘unequivocally deny’ the allegations as well as ‘any act or conduct that could ever be considered’ animal cruelty. ”
He has also faced criticism from PETA for allowing celebrity guests such as Beyoncé, Floyd Mayweather and Larsa Pippen to have physical contact with the wildlife at his park.
Antle gained worldwide fame after he featured in the 2020 Netflix documentary Tiger King, which premiered in March.
Bitter follow-up program the rivalry between Joseph ‘Joe Exotic’ Maldonado-Passage – who is now in captivity of the infamous Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma – and Carole Baskin, owner of Big Cat Rescue in Florida.
Claim to His Fame: Antle shot to worldwide fame after he was featured in Netflix’s 2020 documentary Tiger King, which premiered in March
Antle is depicted as Joe’s instructor. He has also been shown to have a cult-like approach to business, as a polygamist pursued by a string of devoted female employees.
The California native was also a part of Britney Spears’ iconic 2001 performance of I a Slave 4 U VMAs, in which he was an animal handler.
Spears, 40, started the show inside the cage with Antle and a liger – a cross between a tiger mother and a lion father – then stepped onto the stage, where she danced with a python wrapped around her shoulder.
According to his website, he has also worked as an animal handler on films including Ace Ventura, Dr. Doolittle, Mighty Joe Young, and The Jungle Book.
Source: | Dailymail.co.uk
