“Tiger King” star Bhagavan “Doc” Antle is said to have been arrested by the FBI on Friday, and must appear in court on Monday, accused of money laundering.
It writes the news agency AP and newspaper The Wall Street Journal – both of which refer to unnamed sources.
The controversial feline profile is said to have spent the weekend in custody. According to The Wall Street Journal, the indictment carries a sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 dollars – approximately 4.7 million kroner.
The indictment against the 62-year-old is expected to be formally announced during Monday, US time, according to AP.
It is unclear how Antle will respond to the allegations.
Must be 21 years old
Slaughtered by animal welfare organization
In May, the international animal protection organization PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – approached the US Federal IRS.
They asked for an investigation of Antle’s charity Rare Species, and claimed that funds from the fund also sponsor Antle’s commercial safari business.
– It is fitting that “Doc” Antle is behind bars after years of closing endangered animals in cages and using them in tacky photo sessions. His legal problems are mounting after PETA warned of an apparent “charity scam”, and his regime of terror against tiger cubs cannot be stopped quickly enough, says Deputy Director Debbie Meltzer of PETA’s CALE (Captive Animals Law Enforcement) department in a statement reproduced by AP.
In Virginia, Antle is already charged with, among other things, animal smuggling, where he is scheduled to appear in court next month. He has previously been convicted on similar charges in the same state, according to the AP.
Plaintiff Netflix
Controversial
Antle owns the controversial Myrtle Beach Safari Zoo in South Carolina, and had an extensive role in the Netflix documentary series “Tiger King”, starring the polygamous, gun-loving cowboy Joseph Allen “Joe Exotic” Maldonado-Passage.
Maldonado-Passage is serving a 22-year prison sentence for animal cruelty – and for trying to hire a hitman to take the life of animal rights activist Carole Baskin.
