Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, a zoo operator from Myrtle Beach who appeared in a Netflix documentary, was sentenced Thursday to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to a federal conspiracy involving endangered wildlife trafficking and laundering over $500,000 tied to an illegal immigration operation.
According to federal prosecutors, Antle conspired to violate the Lacey Act by trafficking in endangered species, including baby chimpanzees, lions, tigers, and cheetahs, while funneling illegal payments through his nonprofit, The Rare Species Fund. He also admitted to laundering cash between February and April 2022, believing it was proceeds from a scheme to smuggle undocumented immigrants across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Antle was ordered to pay a $55,000 fine, forfeit over $197,000, and surrender three chimpanzees. He will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
“Doc Antle portrayed himself as a conservationist. But in reality, he was a key player in the illegal chimpanzee trade, and he laundered more than half a million dollars through a complex web of deceit,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina.
Evidence presented in court showed Antle used bulk cash transactions, false paperwork, and fake “donation” payments through his nonprofit to hide the illegal nature of his animal sales. The Myrtle Beach Safari, a for-profit zoo operated by Antle and featured in the Netflix series, was also used to launder the funds under the guise of construction-related services.
Antle’s co-defendant in the wildlife trafficking scheme, Jason Clay, was previously sentenced to four months in prison and home confinement for selling a juvenile chimpanzee to Antle for $200,000 in cash and a gibbon. In a related case, Florida zoo operator Shaylynn Kolwyck-Peterson pleaded guilty last month to illegally selling another chimpanzee to Antle in 2022.
For his role in the money laundering conspiracy, co-defendant Andrew Sawyer was sentenced to probation, home detention, and forfeited nearly $185,000 and a chimpanzee.
Federal officials said the investigation uncovered falsified documentation, endangered animal trafficking, and the use of nonprofit organizations to disguise criminal activity.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.