Doc Antle, of ‘Tiger King’ fame, arrested by FBI in Myrtle Beach area
Bhagavan “Doc” Antle was arrested Friday in Horry County by federal authorities, but his charges remain a mystery.
The owner of the popular Myrtle Beach Safari and one of the stars of the “Tiger King” Netflix documentary series was booked into J. Reuben Long Detention Center at 5:38 p.m., according to online records, which show the Federal Bureau of Investigations as the arresting agency.
No charges are listed, and a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office told The Sun News that details regarding his arrest couldn’t be released until the case is unsealed.
Sources close to the investigation say that there will be a hearing on Monday, and the charges relate to money laundering.
Two other men were also arrested by the FBI Friday and booked into the Horry County detention center, but it’s unclear if they are related to Antle’s case. All three remain in custody.
Antle is already facing several misdemeanor and felony wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty charges in Virginia. A trial on those charges is set to begin Oct. 31, according to online court records.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently asked the IRS and Secretary of State to investigate Antle’s nonprofit, alleging it was mostly being used to fund his for-profit business.
The Sun News detailed some inconsistencies related to Antle’s nonprofit in an April 2020 investigation that also looked into his claims of conservation and breeding practices.