Prosecutors: ‘Tiger King’ star trafficked endangered animals
The Associated Press - July 2, 2022 9:05 am
This image provided by the Horry County Sheriff's Office in Conway, S.C., shows Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, who was arrested by the FBI, Friday, June 3, 2022, on federal money laundering charges. (Horry County Sheriff's Office via AP)
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Federal prosecutors in South Carolina say “Tiger King” star Bhagavan “Doc” Antle has been charged with buying or selling endangered lemurs, cheetahs, and a chimpanzee without the proper paperwork.
The latest charges released on Thursday are on top of money laundering counts, where authorities said Antle tried to hide more than half a million dollars made in an operation to smuggle people across the Mexican border into the United States.
The U.S. Endangered Species Act requires permission to buy or move any endangered species in captivity and prosecutors said Antle, two of his employees, and owners of safari tours in Texas and California all broke the law.
