Bhagavan, star of Tiger King Doc Antle, who acknowledged breaking federal law by purchasing endangered species to house at his South Carolina zoo, will serve a jail sentence, but not for as long as prosecutors had hoped.
Nearly two years after entering a guilty plea to charges of money laundering and exotic animal trafficking, Antle, 65, was fined $55,000 and given a term of one year and one day in prison on Tuesday. November of 2023.
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The legal dramas surrounding “Tiger King,” the Netflix true crime documentary that enthralled a nation locked down by COVID-19, most likely came to an end.
Joe Exotic is serving a 21-year sentence for attempting to hire two other individuals to murder Carole Baskin, another actress. Big Cat Rescue in Florida is led by Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, a former collector and private zookeeper from Baskin and Oklahoma.
Antle was the main character in the third season of the show and made an appearance with Exotic and Baskin in the first season.
Prosecutors claim Antle purchased animals illegally.
Antle had committed no crimes. Because he required a lot of money fast to purchase animals including chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and other creatures, he laundered money used in a people smuggling conspiracy, according to prosecutor Patrick Duggan. Due to their endangered status, these creatures cannot be sold, and their high prices may incite poachers to take them from the wild, Duggan explained.
Duggan stated in court on Tuesday that he was intentionally and unlawfully trading them as part of a black market that fuels another black market for smuggling and poaching.
Because their client had to take care of the 150 exotic creatures that eat 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) of meat every day at his Myrtle Beach Safari, Antle’s attorneys asked for a sentence of either home confinement or only probation. Many of the animals exclusively react to Antle, they noted.
Family and friends beg for pity for Antle.
A federal courthouse in Charleston was crowded with around twenty-five friends and family. Judge Joseph Dawson III was informed by others that Antle was kind and giving. He reportedly raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to combat poaching and protect chimpanzee, tiger, and lion habitats.
It influenced the judge. Prosecutors agreed with federal standards that called for a sentence of approximately two years in jail. However, Dawson asserted that despite Antle’s violations of federal law, all the evidence suggested that he was an animal lover.
At the conclusion of his sentencing hearing, Antle expressed regret for creating issues for his life’s work.
“I hope I’ll be able to pull it back together for everybody,” Antle added, acknowledging that he had made a mistake and made foolish decisions.
In order for Myrtle Beach Safari to provide experiences, Antle required animals.
The Myrtle Beach Safari at Antle’s was notorious for charging hundreds or thousands of dollars to allow visitors to hold and pet infant lions, tigers, and monkeys that were still being bottle-fed. Consumers would spend $7,000 for a sleepover or $200 for five minutes and pictures with a baby chimp. On occasion, Antle would ride an elephant into excursions.
Reservations are still required to enter the zoo.
For ten years, Antle sold or purchased tigers, lions, chimpanzees, and cheetahs without the required documentation, according to the prosecution. They claimed that in order to swiftly obtain funds to purchase further animals, he also laundered over $500,000.
Prosecutors said Antle was able to evade prosecution for years and is well-versed in federal law. He would take a sizable payment to his conservation foundation in exchange for an animal. Prosecutors claimed he would transport the animal to his zoo in Myrtle Beach while claiming to preserve it in the same condition as when he purchased it.
Numerous prosecutions resulted from FBI phone tapping.
As Antle indicated to an informant over the phone that a young chimpanzee could easily cost $200,000, the FBI was listening. The business window for private zookeepers is limited to a few years until the growing animals can no longer be handled safely, but they can charge hundreds of dollars for pictures of placid juvenile monkeys or other creatures.
The people won’t accept a check, so I had to get a monkey. They only accept money. What do you do, then? In court documents, Antle stated based on a phone call transcript.
As part of his plea bargain, Antle will have to surrender three chimpanzees he purchased.
Due to their involvement in Antle’s activities, two of his workers have already received sentences.
Andrew Omar Sawyer, who authorities claimed assisted Antle in money laundering, received two years of probation, while Meredith Bybee received a year of probation for selling a chimpanzee.
While charges against California rancher Charles Sammut were dismissed, Jason Clay, the owner of a private zoo in Texas, entered a guilty plea to illegal primate sales and was given a four-month prison sentence.
