Tiger King star Doc Antle arrested by FBI in South Carolina

Sara Netzley
Updated ·2 min read
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Bhagavan "Doc" Antle, one of the colorful personalities introduced in Netflix's 2020 hit docuseries Tiger King, has been arrested in South Carolina.

Antle, 62, is being held in the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Horry County, S.C., after the FBI arrested him Friday afternoon. No charges have been disclosed.

In October 2020, Antle was indicted in Virginia on charges of wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty following a months-long attorney general investigation into the movement of lion cubs between Virginia and South Carolina.

Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle
Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle

Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle

After his memorable appearance in the first season of Tiger King, Antle was the focus of Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story, which debuted on Netflix in December. It offered an inside look at Myrtle Beach Safari, Antle's private facility for big cats and endangered animals. In a summary of the series, Netflix describes Antle as "a predator far more dangerous than his beloved big cats and a man shadier than any of his Tiger King counterparts."

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The docuseries delves into accusations that surfaced during the filming of Tiger King involving Antle's cult-like operation and his influence over the bevvy of women who surround him at Myrtle Beach Safari.

"Whenever we went anywhere, he was on the prowl," a source says in the Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story trailer. "There's no greater pickup line than 'Do you want to pet my tiger?'"

Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle
Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle

Horry County Police Department 'Tiger King' star Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle has been arrested in South Carolina.

Antle is listed on the Horry County website as having been booked into the detention center at 4:38 p.m. ET on Friday. He remains incarcerated there.

Representatives for Myrtle Beach Safari and the J. Reuben Long Detention Center did not immediately respond to EW's requests for comment.

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