Copyright 2017 Myrtle Beach Safari. According to Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, the states Animal Law Unit had been investigating the trafficking and cruelty for months. Thank you very much for your attention to this message. Being a fake doctor. field59.ipo = { But seriously, lemurs are so incredibly soft! Fish and Wildlife Service. We also had the opportunity to hold and feed a couple of the tiger cubs and can I just say ADORABLE!! The filings allege that Antle had used bulk cash receipts to purchase animals for which he could not use checks, and that Antle planned to conceal the cash he received by inflating tourist numbers at the Myrtle Beach Safari. RSF also works closely with state, federal, and international bodies to develop and support sound wildlife policies and to secure sustained funding for long-term research, education, and conservation initiatives. Everyone who told the truth was kicked to the wayside, Antle, owner of Myrtle Beach Safari in Socastee, said of the Netflix docu-series casting. Only those who would take payment for their life stories got to be in the show. An animal I wasnt expecting was a warthog! Those checks falsely claimed they were remitted for construction work being performed at the Myrtle Beach Safari, when in reality the checks were simply a means to allow the recipients to appear to have legitimate income. The filings allege that Antle had used bulk cash receipts to purchase animals for which he could not use checks, and that Antle planned to conceal the cash he received by inflating tourist numbers at the Myrtle Beach Safari. I have a lot of people writing me and saying that now they know I will go to jail for this murder of my friend who fell off of a cliff.. Antle and Sawyer were previously granted a bond by a federal magistrate judge as a result of the charges in the federal complaint, and Bybee, Sammut, and Clay are pending arraignment. Before lunch and getting our photos to take home, we played with some beach balls with a few chimpanzees! Sawyer is Antles employee and business associate. Bhagavan Doc Antle, the owner of Myrtle Beach Safari, Only those who would take payment for their life stories got to be in the show.. Myrtle Beach Safari offers the chance to meet and greet about eleven different animals in an exciting way. The episode focuses on staffing at big cat businesses and how long hours can lead some to become intimately involved with the owners. ANSWER. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. (Bustle reached out to Antle for comment on the series, but has not received a response). Myrtle Beach Safari has ALWAYS been in 100% compliance and never in violation of federal or state animal welfare laws.. Also, who owns the Safari in Myrtle Beach?SOCASTEE, S.C. (WBTW) Myrtle Beach Safari owner Doc Antle denied all allegations made in a new three-part docuseries that premiered After the cats were sent away, the wolf cubs were brought out. "Sure I've had girlfriends and theres girls I have had relationships with that have come and gone over the decades [but] I am absolutely not married nor have I been since my wife died over 20 years ago now. My heart did race a little because after all, he is a wild cat! A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Antle admitted at the time to having multiple relationships simultaneously, but pointed to being single as justification. Georgetown, SC 29440, News tips/online questions: [email protected], Delivery/subscription questions: [email protected], var html = new Date().getFullYear(); A safari can run $339 per person for a three-hour tour of Antles collection of big cats and other animals, while also giving patrons a chance to pet tiger cubs for an additional $100. Theyre just making up their ideas.. Antles charges include felony counts of wildlife trafficking and conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking, along with misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act. Hes halfway down a mountain when he slips. Hes just a whole other kind of character. The Myrtle Beach Safari is a 50-acre wildlife tropical preserve in Myrtle Beach. Florence:(843) 665-6688. All rights reserved. Antle, a key figure in the popular Netflix series Tiger King, is accused of trafficking lion cubs between Virginia and Myrtle Beach Safari. Official websites use .gov It is the hope of Myrtle Beach Safari to continue to conserve tigers, lions, elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees and many more species in their natural habitats. Then we got to watch them paint t-shirts that are sold for conservation efforts to save the chimpanzees! Antle, 60, faces multiple felony counts, including one for wildlife trafficking and one for conspiracy to wildlife traffic; four misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act; and nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. He also said that many of the people interviewed in the original Tiger King and The Doc Antle Story he was barely featured in Tiger King 2 were portrayed as if they worked for him when that wasnt true. I certainly do not rock climb. Please reconsider what you have written about MBS in the light of what you know now. Smothers filed a lawsuit against Antle earlier this year, alleging that the animal bite traumatized her and caused her to experience anxiety and paranoia. Winds light and variable. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Read moreMyrtle Beach tourism season expected to remain steady despite economic uncertainty, The popular South Carolina destination Brookgreen Gardens has started construction on a home for a pack of red wolves, one of the most endangered species in the world. Antle and Sawyer each face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the charges related to money laundering, and up to five years in federal prison for the charges related to wildlife trafficking. There are plenty of immoral allegations against Bhagavan Doc Antle in Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story.. I visited this location years ago (not a recent trip) and Im guessing you just got your information from the new Netflix series. Lock Once the big cats are all sent away, the group got to watch Ahren the African Fish Eagle, fly over our heads. In 2020, Antle was charged with nine counts of cruelty to animals, six counts of selling endangered species and two wildlife trafficking charges. In Tiger King, Maria Tabraue suggested that Doc Antle has three wives: Rajnee, Moksha, and China, who Antle described as his girls on the show. Thats what I sell, Antle said. No information exists online for either company and documents filed provide no further information beyond the registering agents name, the companys addresses and names. You pay a fee and you hug a tiger and feed the monkeys. Copyright 2022 WMBF. I could just pet this guy all day. On Dec. 8, he simply posted a video of him smiling with Bubbles the elephant, encouraging people to visit Myrtle Beach Safari to meet this wonderful girl thats been hanging out with me for the past 38 years.. The claims come on the heels of accusations of animal cruelty against Antle. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Cloudy skies. Charleston:(843) 727-4381 I only wish more of the photos were in focus for nice clear pictures. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. They always show these pictures of these characters hugging tigers and feeding a monkey. His appearance Wednesday was for an arraignment, where the defendant is formally advised of the charges against him and asked to enter a plea. Antle could face up to five years in prison on each new wildlife trafficking count along with a year for the label violation. What I didnt anticipate was getting up close and personal with wild animals. var field59 = field59 || {}; At Myrtle Beach Safari, you have the option to pay for just the tour, or you can add on a photography package. He was hanging around, but he narrates the show as if he has a personal relationship.. Attorneys Derek A. Shoemake and Amy Bower for the District of South Carolina and Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Crimes Section. The latest charges against Antle and Sawyer carry up to 20 years in prison. His legal battle is ongoing, with his trial set to begin July 25, 2022. MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) The owner of Myrtle Beach Safari has been charged with federal money laundering crimes. He also rejected the idea that he had created a personal harem for himself with the young female interns at the Safari. The biggest and most serious allegation that many in the show speculated about was that he pushed his friend and No. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Next on the agenda was to gather the group around a small pen where we played with tiger cubs, lion cubs and lynx cubs. Bhagavan Mahamayavi Antle, a/k/a Kevin Antle, a/k/a Doc Antle, 62, of Myrtle Beach; Andrew Jon Sawyer a/k/a Omar Sawyer, 52, of Myrtle Beach; Meredith Bybee, a/k/a Moksha Bybee, 51, of Myrtle Beach; Charles Sammut, 61, of Salinas, California; and. Antle founded The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. The indictment alleges that Antle, at various times along with Bybee, Sammut, and Clay, illegally trafficked wildlife in violation of federal law, including the Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act, and made false records regarding that wildlife. Strikers protest Dollar General store in Irmo, sign of latest labor advocacy in SC, Legendary football coach Jerry Brown out at Berkeley High School, Hot chicken taking over Columbia restaurant spot; new coffee place gets ready to brew, South Carolina Supreme Court on track to be all male for the first time in 35 years, Several cadets at SC National Guard youth academy hospitalized after 'incident', Details for Donald Trump's first SC 2024 presidential campaign event announced. Per Myrtle Beach Online, most of RSFs money has been spent on animal ambassadors based within Myrtle Beach Safari as in, it appears Antle is using money brought in through his nonprofit to fund his own zoo. Clay is the owner and operator of the Franklin Drive Thru Safari, a for-profit corporation that housed captive exotic species and sold tours and safari experiences to guests. David Wetzel serves in both editor and reporter roles for The Sun News. Doc Antle (left) and Omar Sawyer were arrested for money laundering. Ligers used to be a myth, but a tiger mama and a lion father unintentionally mated here. But everybody does that who meets me. He ultimately faces charges only on those that deal with animals. People often pretend that these images of them make it as though they worked there. In exchange, Antle and Sawyer received a 15% fee of any amount laundered. Myrtle Beach Safari owner featured in Tiger King pleads not guilty in federal wildlife trafficking case, VIDEO: Man hospitalized after Beaufort Co. shooting, [email protected] - (843) 402-5555. According to the indictment and other court records, Antle is the owner and operator of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S), also known as the Myrtle Beach Safari. The Myrtle Beach Safari is a 50-acre wildlife tropical preserve in Myrtle Beach. Sawyer and Bybee are Antles employees and business associates. He also goes by "Mahamayavi" Antle. Drug smuggling and dealing. Antles Myrtle Beach Safari was searched by the State Law Enforcement Division in December 2019. By Laura Donaldson Florence:(843) 665-6688. If you do the math, you will see its is impossible to find enough AZA-accredited zoos and sanctuaries to house these animals. You have permission to edit this article. MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - The owner of the Myrtle Beach Safari is now behind bars, according to online records. They Sammut is the owner Records show that Antle did donate to some conservation efforts overseas, but the amounts listed do not match up with what was reported in the nonprofits annual reports. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. During the hearing, it was revealed Antle is being charged with three additional counts of wildlife trafficking as well as one count of a label violation. More details surrounding Myrtle Beach Safari owner Doc Antle have been released. Antle and Sawyer each face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the charges related to money laundering, and up to five years in federal prison for the charges related to wildlife trafficking. (Tawny was arrested again on Dec. 1, 2021 for the unlawful possession of a pistol, but was later released. 25 results for "owner of myrtle beach safari and cult bigamist" hide this ad. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Friday, April 23rd 2021. They will remain in jail until they go before a judge on Thursday. Animal cruelty. The cats had toys like your average household dog and cat, they loved to chew on. Antles biggest moment in Tiger King is during the second of seven episodes, where Joe Exotic says Antle was his mentor. Doc Antle, owner of Myrtle Beach Safari and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S. The prosecutors on the case are Assistant U.S. viewers are sure to recognize new presenter Kamie Crawford, who recently opened up about her own breakup, following Terrence J's exit. File/Provided. Please do not promote Myrtle Beach Safari, an abusive petting zoo and constant violator of animal welfare regulations whose owner has just been indicted on 15 charges including cruelty to animals and wildlife trafficking. I would have loved to see him run, but he did walk right past me. In April 2021, Myrtle Beach resident Shirley Ann Smothers was bitten by a primate that is believed to have escaped from Myrtle Beach Safari. I certainly dont have three wives," Antle said in March. The photos/video are quite expensive, but its the only way to capture that once-in-a-lifetime experience and share it with your friends and family. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The prosecutors on the case are Assistant U.S. Because the animals are so comfortable around each other, Myrtle Beach Safari has the first ever Liger. Attorneys Derek A. Shoemake and Amy Bower are prosecuting the case. That case is scheduled for a trial later this year. ), also known simply as Myrtle Beach Safari, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 1983. Mahamayavi Bhagavan Doc Antle is the founder and director of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S. He said in the past he used bulk cash receipts to purchase animals for which he could not use checks. We look forward to fighting these charges. Its all a joke: Myrtle Beach Safari owner gives take on upcoming Tiger King season, Tiger Kings latest docu-series will zoom in on Myrtle Beach Safaris Doc Antle, Who Is Kamie Crawford? Its a sad, sad tale of a thrill-seeking free-hand rock climber, a powerful, good-looking, strong man, but everybody can slip, Antle said. If you really take the time to roll it, the murder is so dang silly, Antle said. Refresh Page Error: a1db0b0a4d764397a6fa91cc8e6c2771 Wilson received animals from Antle and was charged with wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty. The animal cruelty indictments allege he carried or caused the lions to be carried in a cruel, brutal, or inhumane manner, so as to produce torture or unnecessary suffering.. In 1983 Doc founded T.I.G.E.R.S. Doc has worked on over 500 films, documentaries, TV shows and advertisements of all kinds. Its silly s***.. Doc credits his great love for wild and exotic animals to his upbringing on a vast cattle ranch in Arizona where he spent his formative years. There are others in the show who said Topping was owed tens of thousands of dollars and wanted out of the animal business, implying that perhaps that would be Antles motivation to kill him. Sawyer and Bybee are Antles employees and business associates. The kid that narrates, he does a good job because hes a professional stage magician, but hes just a kid I hired when he was a teenager to do a couple blip jobs, Antle said of Diamond, whos featured prominently in the series. Restaurant review: Bold flavors of the Texas border shine through at Rancho Lewis, Arthur Ravenel Jr., politician and bridge namesake affectionately known as 'Cousin Arthur,' passes away. They interviewed enough people that they had all of the information they needed 100 percent. Hes magnificent! In November 2020, PETA filed a complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Myrtle Beach Safari owner Doc Antle believes season 2 of Netflix docu-series Tiger King will be salacious. "When I met (Antle) I had two husbands, and he had three girlfriends or wives," said Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage. FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) Myrtle Beach Safari owner Bhagavan Doc Antle, facing federal money-laundering and wildlife trafficking charges, was back in court Wednesday Myrtle Beach Safari owner, Tiger King star charged with }; More details surrounding Myrtle Beach Safari owner Doc Antle have been released. There are others in the Federal documents also claim that Antle and his business associate, Andrew Sawyer, laundered over $500,000 in cash they believed to be the proceeds of an operation to smuggle illegal immigrants across the Mexican border into the United States. Antle has asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed. The indictment and a previously-filed federal complaint in the case also allege that over the last several months, Antle and Sawyer laundered more than $500,000 in cash they believed to be the proceeds of an operation to smuggle illegal immigrants across the Mexican border into the United States. Its not my M.O., The series also tells tales of Antles hypnotizing ways, drug smuggling and dealing, improper interactions with teenage girls, animal cruelty, running from the police and being a fake doctor in the 1980s, when he was part of what they describe as a cult called Yogaville.. According to a press release, Antle, 62, and his employee Andrew Omar Jon Sawyer, 52, laundered $505,000 cash that they believed to be the proceeds of an operation to smuggle illegal immigrants across the border. [email protected], Myrtle Beach Safari owner claims Netflix's 'Tiger King' exaggerated, denies having a harem, New South Carolina law will make private ownership of wild animals illegal, Facing animal cruelty charges, 'Doc' Antle takes aim at animal extremists' and Tiger King, Oklahoma judge orders 'Tiger King' zoo to turn over big cats, Daughter of 'Tiger King' star Doc Antle arrested after Myrtle Beach traffic stop, 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic resentenced to 21 years in prison, 'Tiger King' star Doc Antle facing up to 20 years in prison on money laundering charges, FBI investigation details 'Tiger King' star Doc Antles alleged money laundering, 'Tiger King' star Doc Antle should be freed over health issues his lawyers plan to argue, Richland Two superintendent resigns after 6-hour closed-door board meeting, Charleston's Carnival ship set sail on a cruise to nowhere, Large town center-type project planned for North Charleston near new I-26 interchange. 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