'Tiger King' Star Doc Antle Pleads Guilty to Wildlife Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges

Antle, known for his Myrtle Beach Safari and Netflix's hit series, faces up to five years in prison per count along with hefty fines after admitting to illegal wildlife trafficking and conducting financial transactions related to harboring illegal aliens.

'Tiger King' star Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and money laundering charges. The violations occurred between September 2018 and May 2020 and involved the sale or purchase of endangered species including two cheetah cubs, two lion cubs, two tigers, and one juvenile chimpanzee.
Antle used bulk cash payments to hide these transactions and falsified paperwork to make the sales appear as donations to his nonprofit organization, the Rare Species Fund. He also masqueraded the illegal transactions as non-commercial transfers within one state.
The investigation also uncovered evidence of money laundering from February to April 2022, wherein Antle and an unidentified coconspirator conducted financial transactions, believed to be obtained from transporting and harboring illegal aliens. They deposited the acquired cash into controlled bank accounts, and then issued a cheque to the cash provider after taking a 15% fee per transaction.
Antle, known for his conservation efforts, was found guilty of repeated violations of laws protecting endangered animals, resulting in a threat to the survival of these species. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release for each count.
The FBI and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service continue to investigate the case. The verdict comes as a part of the fallout following the controversy around the popular Netflix series 'Tiger King', with several characters, including the star Joe Exotic, facing legal repercussions.

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