Tiger King Star Arrested in South Carolina

The legal troubles of the subjects featured in Netflix’s Tiger King continues as TMZ brings word that controversial figure Doc Antle was arrested today in Horry Country, South Carolina. Real name Bhagavan Antle, the celebrity “zoo keeper” is best known to viewers of the series for being one of several…colorful characters that appeared in the show. Antle operated the Myrtle Beach Safari where he kept several big cats, primates, and other exotic animals. According to the outlet he was arrested on money laundering charges by the FBI. Back in 2020 Antle was brought up on multiple wildlife trafficking charges, which are still pending as well.

“We applaud the Dept. of Justice and FBI for arresting Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle, a longtime scoundrel engaged in the egregious and inhumane trade of dangerous big cats,” said Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action (via NY Post) “Irresponsible breeding, inhumane living conditions, and public exploitation is a serious problem in the U.S., and caging these wild animals also presents a threat to human health and safety.

“It’s fitting that “Doc” Antle is behind bars after years of locking up the endangered animals he uses in tawdry photo ops,” PETA Foundation Associate Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Debbie Metzle said in a statement Via WPDE. “His legal woes are mounting, as PETA recently blew the whistle on his apparent “charity” scam, and the end to his reign of terrorizing tiger cubs can’t come soon enough.”

Having been featured in the first season of Tiger King, Doc Antle’s Doc Antics earned him notoriety from many viewers who could see that in addition to the likes of Joe Exotic, it seemed like amateur zookeepers were kind of nuts all over the country. Netflix even released a three-episode spinoff, Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story, in December of last year. 

“A lifelong showman, Doc Antle has built his various careers on theatrics, attracting a slew of admirers along the way,” Netflix said previously about the series. “But beneath the eccentric, animal-loving facade lies a predator far more dangerous than his beloved big cats and a man shadier than any of his ‘Tiger King’ counterparts. Over three episodes, ‘Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story’ unpacks the truth about Doc, as witnesses come forward to share their troubling stories of abuse and intimidation that set him at the top of the food chain.”