TMZ report: ‘Tiger King’ star Doc Antle indictment unsealed; allegedly laundered $500K+
Photo: Doc Antle
Originally written and published by TMZ:
“Doc Antle has been mixed up with some shady business dealings involving huge sums of cash that crossed over into illegal territory — at least according to federal prosecutors.
The ‘Tiger King’ star’s federal indictment was unsealed Monday — this after he was arrested by the FBI last week in South Carolina — and his charges are spelled out clear as day. He’s facing 2 money laundering counts … and is accused of having laundered upwards of $500k with an employee/business partner of his who was in on the alleged plot.
Per the docs — obtained by TMZ — Doc and this employee, Andrew Sawyer, were soliciting people as early as 2019 to help launder money through a check-writing scheme in which they’d get cash upfront and write a check back to the person … minus a fee for helping clean the money.
The feds allege Doc and Sawyer had a 15% washing fee … and that the guys laundered around $505,000 between February and April of 2022. The FBI says they had 2 undercover informants working the case — and claim to have tons of incriminating audio recordings and tapes of both men.
We’d already been told his bust had to do with alleged money laundering, but now we’re getting the full breadth of the case — and it’s pretty insane. They make Doc sound like a regular white collar crook … albeit one who lives in a lot of greenery.
As you know, Doc runs a wildlife preserve down in Myrtle Beach … where he houses a ton of different animals in a zoo-like environment. Unfortunately for him, the operation there has also been the subject of much scrutiny since he was put on the map via ‘Tiger King.’
In fact, Doc had previously faced criminal charges on the state level for alleged wrongdoing at the Myrtle Beach Safari — Virginia’s AG hit with an indictment of their own, alleging he was trafficking lion cubs across state lines … which Doc denied at the time.
He’s also gotten heat from PETA for letting celeb guests swing by and interact with the animals on a very personal level. Still, PETA never had any real power to make him change his practices.
Doc’s due to show up in court on Monday to hear the charges against him — although, it’s unclear if he’s going to enter a plea or not. The first count carries a max sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
7:32 AM PT — 6/7 — Doc’s attorney Ryan L. Beasley tells TMZ … “The government appears to be grandstanding on the issue of bond because of all the media coverage.
“I have never in my 20 years of practicing federal law witnessed the government move for detention on a case such as this. He should have been offered something. Asking for Detention is inappropriate under the circumstances.”
“The government agreed to an unsecured bond for one of the codefendants in this case who is facing the exact same penalties. Codefendant: William “Bill” Dallas. He got a $75k unsecured bond.”
“Doc has no criminal record, has lived in SC with his family for decades, and owns/operates a thriving business in SC that employs over 22 people on any given day. There is no reason to believe that he is a flight risk or danger to the community. This sounds like PETA pulling the strings of the DOJ.”
