Myrtle Beach Safari owner ‘Doc’ Antle faces new criminal charges. Here’s what we know.

Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, owner of Myrtle Beach Safari, will be in court Monday afternoon.

The “Tiger King” participant was booked Friday into J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Horry County by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Antle operates the popular Myrtle Beach Safari, also known as The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.), in Socastee, where he offers hands-on experiences with lion and tiger cubs.

Two other men were also arrested by the FBI Friday and booked into the Horry County detention center, but it’s unclear if they are related to Antle’s case. All three remain in custody.

Antle is already facing several misdemeanor and felony wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty charges in Virginia. A trial on those charges is set to begin Oct. 31, according to online court records.

Antle serves as president of the Rare Species Fund, established in 1982 to provide financial support to on-site wildlife conservation projects and wildlife education programs around the world, according to the nonprofit organization’s website.

The organization derives its funding from Myrtle Beach Safari, also known as The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.), with more than $1 million donated to conservation initiatives, according to Antle’s bio on the Myrtle Beach Safari website. Nonprofits exempt from income tax are required to submit financial information annually, via Form 990, to the IRS and state governments, and records show Rare Species Fund is registered as a 501(c)(3) in Florida as Preservation Station Inc.

This story was originally published June 6, 2022 at 11:30 AM.