‘Tiger King’ Star Doc Antle Sentenced to Prison for Wildlife Trafficking
Hey everyone, have you heard the latest twist in the “Tiger King” saga? The infamous Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, one of the standout figures from the Netflix docuseries, has officially been sentenced to prison — and it’s not just a slap on the wrist. After years of legal battles and investigations, Doc Antle has been handed a 12-month federal prison sentence for his role in trafficking exotic animals and laundering money. This ruling comes nearly five years after Tiger King first captivated audiences stuck at home during the height of COVID-19 lockdowns.
Now, to put it into perspective: Antle, who owns Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina, was known for giving guests the chance to cuddle with tiger cubs, ride elephants, and snap photos with baby chimps. He was portrayed as a mentor to Joe Exotic in the original series — though he later claimed he was misled about how he would be portrayed. But what was happening behind the scenes is even more shocking than what we saw on screen.
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Court documents reveal that back in 2018, Antle paid someone to travel to Florida and buy two young cheetahs for around $35,000. A few months later, he sold two lion cubs for $15,000. He was also involved in transferring tigers across state lines — and even paid $200,000 in cash and checks for a baby chimpanzee. What’s more troubling is that he funneled many of these payments through his nonprofit organization to disguise them as “donations.” Authorities say this wasn’t just illegal — it was part of a broader money-laundering scheme.
This wasn’t just about animals, either. Federal prosecutors say Antle was also involved in laundering more than half a million dollars that was supposedly meant to help people enter the U.S. illegally. The FBI was even wiretapping his conversations where he openly talked about buying monkeys and chimps for hundreds of thousands of dollars — in cash.
As part of his sentencing, Antle will also have to pay a $55,000 fine and spend three years on supervised release once his prison term ends. Some of his associates didn’t get off easy either — one received a year of probation for selling a chimp, another got two years for helping launder money, and yet another zookeeper got four months for selling primates.
This sentence marks what might be the final legal chapter for the Tiger King cast — or maybe not. While Joe Exotic remains behind bars for his own criminal charges, Doc Antle now joins the list of zoo operators who’ve been exposed and held accountable. Whether you were a fan of the show or just a curious observer of the bizarre, it’s a reminder of how deeply problematic the exotic animal trade can be when the people running it put profit over conservation.
And yes, Myrtle Beach Safari is still open — by reservation only. But after this, who knows for how much longer?
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