“Tiger King” star Doc Antle was arrested Friday in South Carolina on charges reportedly related to money laundering.
Federal law enforcement sources told TMZ that Antle, real name Bhagavan Antle, was arrested on Friday afternoon in Horry County, South Carolina. The notorious star of hit series “Tiger King” was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who reportedly told the outlet that the charges against Antle have something to do with money laundering.
UPDATE: Doc Antle of Myrtle Beach Safari was arrested by the FBI today, reportedly for money laundering. He’s incarcerated at the Horry County Jail where he will remain until court next week.#docantle #tigerking #roadsidezoo #roadsidezoonews #MyrtleBeachSafari pic.twitter.com/xNURzmGdNl
— Roadside Zoo News (@Roadsidezoonews) June 3, 2022
Antle was previously indicted in Virginia in October 2020 for felony wildlife trafficking, after evidence was uncovered related to lion cubs that he allegedly transported illegally between South Carolina and Virginia, TMZ reported. (RELATED: ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’ Star Cause Of Death Confirmed By Family)
Doc told TMZ at the time that he was “terribly shocked and disappointed at the charges that have been filed against me by the Commonwealth of Virginia, and how they have sought to involve my daughters in this matter. I categorically deny any act or conduct that could ever be considered as ‘animal cruelty.'”
Antle shot to fame in the “Tiger King” series, and was the subject of a later docuseries, “Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story,” which focused on stories of “abuse and intimidation,” according to the show’s IMDB page. Antle has denied all of the allegations brought against him in both incarnations of the “Tiger King” series, according to WBTV.