‘Tiger King’ star Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle charged with trafficking endangered animals, prosecutors say
‘Tiger King’ star Doc Antle granted $250K bond on money laundering charges Doc Antle, who rose to fame on the release of the Netflix “Tiger King,” will be confined to his 50-acre preserve outside Myrtle Beach after his release. (NCD)Federal prosecutors in South Carolina say they have charged “Tiger King” star Bhagavan “Doc” Antle with buying or selling various endangered animals without the proper paperwork. Endangered Species Act requires people to seek permission to buy or move any endangered species in captivity. Charles Sammut, 61, and Jason Clay, 42, are also charged with wildlife trafficking and violating the Endangered Species Act. In 2021, Netflix released “Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story,” a miniseries that featured witnesses’ claims of “abuse and intimidation,” according to IMDb.com.
wftv.com'Tiger King' Joe Exotic set for resentencing in Oklahoma
Tiger King Sentence FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2013, file photo, Joseph Maldonado answers a question during an interview at the zoo he runs in Wynnewood, Okla. Maldonado known also as “Tiger King” Joe Exotic is headed to a federal courtroom Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, for a resentencing hearing. He's now in federal prison after a jury convicted him in a murder-for-hire plot involving his chief rival, Carole Baskin. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File) (Sue Ogrocki)OKLAHOMA CITY — (AP) — A federal judge is set to decide a new sentence Friday for "Tiger King" Joe Exotic after an appeals court ruled last year that the prison term he's serving on a murder-for-hire conviction should be shortened. Last month, attorneys for the former Oklahoma zookeeper said he was delaying prostate cancer treatment until after his resentencing. Both were featured in Netflix's "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness."
wftv.comJudge sets Jan. 28 for 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic resentencing
A federal judge in Oklahoma on Monday set a Jan. 28 date for the resentencing of “Tiger King” Joe Exotic. U.S. District Judge Scott Palk set the resentencing for 10 a.m. and granted the defendant's request to be transported to Oklahoma City for the hearing. A federal appeals court in July ruled that Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, should get a shorter sentence.
news.yahoo.com'Tiger King' star Carole Baskin sues Netflix over sequel
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — (AP) — The founder of a Florida big cat sanctuary featured in the popular “Tiger King” series is suing Netflix and a production company to prevent the use of interviews and footage involving her in an upcoming sequel. In her lawsuit, Baskin contends that Royal Goode Productions Inc., which produced “Tiger King" for Netflix, led her and husband Howard Baskin to believe their footage would only be used in a single documentary. “The Baskins believed that any sequel, though odious, would not include any of their footage,” the lawsuit says. “We have never, ever had anybody mislead us and be so dishonest with us as the producers were of Tiger King,” Baskin told AP. “Defendants did not need to obtain a release from plaintiffs to use the footage in Tiger King 2 or its promotion trailers,” Netflix attorney Rachel Fugate said in court documents.
wftv.com'Tiger King' Joe Exotic says he has 'aggressive cancer'
Tiger King Cancer FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Santa Rose County Jail in Milton, Fla., shows Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as Joe Exotic. The man known as the "Tiger King" who gained fame in a Netflix documentary following his conviction for trying to hire someone to kill an animal rights activist says he has an "aggressive cancer." (Santa Rosa County Jail via AP, File) (Uncredited)OKLAHOMA CITY — (AP) — The man known as “Tiger King,” who gained fame in a Netflix documentary following his conviction for trying to hire someone to kill an animal rights activist, says he has cancer. "It is with a sad face that I have to tell you ... that my prostate biopsy's came back with an aggressive cancer," Joe Exotic, who is being held at a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas, wrote on a Twitter post Wednesday. The blond mullet-wearing former Oklahoma zookeeper, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is known for his expletive-laden rants on YouTube and a failed 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial campaign.
wftv.com‘Tiger King’s Erik Cowie’s cause of death released
Fans of the show “Tiger King” now know what killed zookeeper Erik Cowie. >> Read more trending newsThe New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner announced Monday that acute and chronic alcohol use killed Cowie, Variety reported. The manner of Cowie’s death was listed as natural, People magazine reported. Cowie had testified during Exotic’s trial that he had seen the owner have animals killed. Cowie testified he didn’t see Exotic pull the trigger, but “I knew what was going on,” Deadline reported.
wftv.comDeBary live-in caretaker accused of abusing disabled man under his care
DEBARY, FLA. — Volusia County deputies arrested a man over the weekend, accusing him of abusing an elderly man under his care. Deputies say 49-year-old Ryan Ganim has spent the last seven years as a live-in caretaker with power of attorney over a local couple in their seventies. Our deputies arrested the live-in caretaker of a disabled DeBary couple after the husband reported being battered and threatened by Ryan Ganim. Instead, deputies say the victim crawled out of the back of the house and walked to a neighbor’s house to call for help. Ganim was ultimately arrested and charged with abuse of an elderly or disabled adult and false imprisonment.
wftv.com‘Tiger King’ zookeeper Erik Cowie found dead in Brooklyn apartment, no foul play suspected
Zookeeper Erik Cowie from the blockbuster Netflix show “Tiger King” was found dead in a Brooklyn apartment, a police source said Monday. An autopsy will determine how Cowie, 53, died but the source said no foul play is suspected and that it appears he died from natural causes. Cowie had previously denied speculation he was a meth addict. Cowie, who made several appearances on the 2020 ...
news.yahoo.comLast cat out of the Tiger King Park bag as seizure completed
Tiger King Zoo FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013, file photo, one of the tigers living at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park is pictured at the park in Wynnewood, Okla. The animals were moved to a different zoo called, Tiger King-Zoo in Thackerville, Okla. Federal authorities have seized 68 big cats from Netflix's "Tiger King" stars Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe's animal park in Thackerville. A jaguar was among the last cat removed from Tiger King Park in Thackerville, a few miles north of Oklahoma's border with Texas, The Oklahoman reported Sunday. The couple received numerous citations for failing to properly care for the animals following three inspections of the Tiger King Park in Thackerville since December 2020. Jeff Lowe was a central figure in “Tiger King” that featured a mullet-wearing zookeeper named Joe Exotic and became a cultural phenomenon last year.
wftv.comDozens of big cats seized from 'Tiger King' zoo after suspected animal abuse
US officials have seized 68 big cats from an animal park featured in the hit Netflix series "Tiger King". Lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and a jaguar were taken from the Tiger King Park in Thackerville, Oklahoma, over concerns about the animals' care, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said. The animals belonged to Jeffrey Lowe and his wife Lauren, who starred in the Netflix series alongside Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. The DOJ filed a civil complaint against the Lowes in November, which accused them of "recurring inhumane treatment and improper handling" of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act. The Tiger King Park was inspected three times since December 2020.
news.yahoo.comFeds seize 68 big cats from 'Tiger King Park' in Oklahoma
Tiger King Zoo FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013, file photo, one of the tigers living at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park is pictured at the park in Wynnewood, Okla. The animals were moved to a different zoo called, Tiger King-Zoo in Thackerville, Okla. Federal authorities have seized 68 big cats from Netflix's "Tiger King" stars Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe's animal park in Thackerville. The civil complaint, filed in November, accused the Lowes of recurring inhumane treatment and improper handling of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act. The couple has received numerous citations for failing to properly care for the animals following three inspections of the Tiger King Park in Thackerville since December 2020. Jeffrey Lowe was a central figure in "Tiger King" that featured a mullet-wearing zookeeper named Joe Exotic and became a cultural phenomenon last year.
wftv.comFeds seize 68 big cats from 'Tiger King Park' in Oklahoma
The civil complaint, filed in November, accused the Lowes of recurring inhumane treatment and improper handling of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act. The couple has received numerous citations for failing to properly care for the animals following three inspections of the Tiger King Park in Thackerville since December 2020. Daniel Card, an attorney for the couple, told a federal judge that the Lowes "want out completely." They don’t want to do it,” Card told the judge. Jeffrey Lowe was a central figure in "Tiger King" that featured a mullet-wearing zookeeper named Joe Exotic and became a cultural phenomenon last year.
wftv.comFeds seize 68 big cats from 'Tiger King Park' in Oklahoma
Federal authorities have seized 68 big cats from an animal park in Oklahoma featured in Netflix’s “Tiger King.” The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that the seizure of the federally protected lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and a jaguar as part of a court-approved agreement to resolve a DOJ complaint against Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe over the animals’ care. The civil complaint, filed in November, accused the Lowes of recurring inhumane treatment and improper handling of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act.
news.yahoo.com‘Tiger King’s’ Carole Baskin issues $CAT cryptocurrency
Carole Baskin issues $CAT cryptocurrency FILE PHOTO: Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue in Florida who gained notoriety on the Netflix documentary "Tiger King," is entering the cryptocurrency economy with a token alternative she calls $CAT. (Marc Piscotty/Getty Images)Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue in Florida who gained notoriety on the Netflix documentary “Tiger King,” is entering the cryptocurrency economy with a token alternative she calls $CAT. “$CAT is not a currency nor investment, but rather is a purr-ency and the first of its kind as a fan token for supporters of Big Cat Rescue,” the group said in a news release. Baskin gained fame from the documentary, which detailed the dispute between her and Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage. He is currently serving 22 years in federal prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot to kill Baskin.
wftv.comNo-go for Joe Exotic: Trump pardon list omits ‘Tiger King’
OKLAHOMA CITY – One name missing in President Donald Trump's flurry of pardons was “Tiger King” Joe Exotic. His team was so confident in a pardon that they had readied a celebratory limousine and a hair and wardrobe team to whisk away the zookeeper-turned-reality-TV-star, who is serving a 22-year federal prison sentence in Texas. Maldonado-Passage, who has maintained his innocence, was also sentenced for killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records. In his pardon application filed in September, Maldonado-Passage’s attorneys argued that he was “railroaded and betrayed” by others. The blond mullet-wearing zookeeper, known for his expletive-laden rants on YouTube and a failed 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial campaign, was prominently featured in the popular Netflix documentary “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.”
Federal judge orders ‘Tiger King’ stars to turn over baby tigers
Jeff and Lauren Lowe, the couple who own the exotic animal park seen in the Netflix documentary series “Tiger King,” have been ordered by a federal judge to turn over all tiger and lion cubs as well as the cubs’ mothers. According to the Jan. 15 federal court order, the Lowes, owners of Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park and Tiger King, are accused of violating the Endangered Species Act and the Animal Welfare Act. U.S. District Court Judge John F. Heil III ordered the Lowes to surrender all cubs under the age of one year and their mothers to the U.S. government. Since the release of “Tiger King” in 2020, the individuals featured in the show have been broiled in legal problems. Meanwhile, the “Tiger King” himself, Joe Exotic, has been waiting on a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump.
Leslye Gale's O-Town Lowdown on Magic 107.7 for Friday, Dec. 4, 2020
click to enlarge Photo via Magic 107.7Krampus is coming, Krampus is coming!! It's all happening tonight (Dec. 4th) and while it's not the normal Krampusnacht of days gone by, it does offer a great way to safely celebrate the holidays with friends. – LINKA tiger nearly rips off the arm of a worker at Tampa's Big Cat Rescue, the big cat sanctuary owned by Tiger King's Carole Baskin. According to reports, this isn't the tiger's first violent incident. – LINKAs Orlando theme parks announce more layoffs and deeper cuts, a huge entertainment complex in Miami is moving ahead with plans to open sometime next year.
orlandoweekly.com12 last-minute Halloween costume ideas that are perfect for 2020
(Photo by APEX/MEGA/GC Images) (2020 MEGA)Who: The other star of Netflix’s irresistible “Tiger King." What you’ll need: Your hair pulled back in a bun, glasses, a judge’s robe and a fancy white collar. What you’ll need: A banana costume and a loaf of bread to carry around. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Who: A video conferencing program that became very popular once the pandemic started in early 2020. What you’ll need: A piece of cardboard cut with a whole in the middle to look like a screen.
Man featured on ‘Tiger King’ charged with animal cruelty
RICHMOND, Va. – A wild animal trainer featured in the popular “Tiger King” series on Netflix has been indicted in Virginia on animal cruelty and wildlife trafficking charges. Antle was indicted Thursday by a Frederick County grand jury on felony counts of wildlife trafficking and conspiracy, plus multiple misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act. Two of his daughters also have been indicted on charges of animal cruelty and violating the Endangered Species Act. Keith Wilson, owner of Wilson's Wild Animal Park in Winchester, Virginia, was indicted by the same grand jury on charges of wildlife trafficking, conspiracy, animal cruelty and violating the Endangered Species Act. Wilson and his nephew were indicted in November on 46 counts of animal cruelty.
Carole Baskin of ‘Tiger King’ fame sued for defamation
ORLANDO, Fla. – Carole Baskin, who became a pop culture sensation due to Netflix’s docuseries “Tiger King,” is being sued for defamation by a former assistant. It also names Baskin’s current husband and her tiger rescue sanctuary as defendants. The lawsuit said that Baskin defamed McQueen by posting a video diary entry on YouTube earlier this month in which she said McQueen played a role in Lewis' disappearance. In retaliation, Maldonado-Passage raised questions about Lewis’ disappearance. The documentary extensively covered Maldonado-Passage’s repeated accusations that Baskin killed her husband and possibly fed him to her tigers.
11 pop culture face masks that would be fun to wear in public
Whether you like it or not, wearing a face mask in public has become the new norm when it comes to protecting yourself and others from COVID-19. Disposable face masks work great, but with no design whatsoever. (Whiskey and Zen/Etsy)Who wouldn’t love a face mask from the Rose Apothecary in Schitt’s Creek? This face mask hopefully will give people at the grocery store a chuckle. Wear a face mask around your friends and family to protect them from COVID-19, plus make some people smile with this “Golden Girls” tribute.
Tiger King star Carole Baskin to join Dancing With the Stars
Like all cool cats and kittens, Carole Baskin is going to Dancing With the Stars.The reality TV star who became a pop culture sensation with Netflixs docuseries Tiger King is joining the new crop of celebrity dancers that includes TV and film actress Anne Heche, former NBA star Charles Oakley and Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean. On the Netflix series Tiger King, Baskin, who owns a big cat refuge, sought to shut down Joseph Maldonado-Passages for-profit breeding of big cats. In June, a federal judge awarded Baskin ownership of the private Oklahoma zoo run by Maldonado-Passage. Others slated to appear on the dancing show are cheer team coach Monica Aldama, Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe, NFL star Vernon Davis, actress Skai Jackson, actress Justina Machado, TV host Jeannie Mai, Jesse Metcalfe, rapper Nelly, TV host Nev Schulman, real estate agent Chrishell Stause and Olympian Johnny Weir. Supermodel and businesswoman Tyra Banks will host the new season after longtime co-host Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews announced their exits from the series in July.
‘Tiger King’ zoo closes to public after federal license suspended
The Oklahoma zoo from the Netflix “Tiger King” documentary announced it’s closing to the public after its federal animal exhibition license was suspended. The USDA says it suspended the license for Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park and its owner, Jeffrey Lowe, on Monday. Lowe and the previous owner, "Joe Exotic" whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, were among the characters in the Netflix hit "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness." A post to the park's Facebook page said the park will, for the foreseeable future, be a private film set for Tiger King-related TV content. It also said animal rights groups pressured the USDA to unfairly shut them down.
Lawsuit filed against ‘Tiger King’ star Carole Baskin over millionaire husband’s disappearance
TAMPA, Fla. – There’s a new chapter for the “Tiger King” saga. Lewis is the missing millionaire who was married to Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin, News 6 partner WJXT reports. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister had already reopened the law enforcement investigation a few weeks after the Tiger King series debuted on Netflix. The Tiger King documentary extensively covers repeated accusations that Carole Baskin killed her then-husband and possibly fed him to her tigers. “But hopefully with all this help that we now have one day soon we and you, too, will know the truth and will all finally know happened to my dad.”
Sheriff: Will of Tiger King stars missing husband was forged
TAMPA, Fla. Someone forged the will of the missing husband of Carole Baskin, a woman prominently featured in Netflixs Tiger King" documentary series, a Florida sheriff said. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister told 10 Tampa Bay on Tuesday that two experts had confirmed the will of Jack Don Lewis is a forgery. The documentary extensively covered Maldonado-Passages repeated accusations that Baskin, killed her husband and possibly fed him to her tigers. Baskin, who founded Big Cat Rescue, has never been charged with any crime and released a statement refuting the accusations made in the series. On Monday, a federal judge in Oklahoma awarded ownership of Maldonado-Passages former zoo to Big Cat Rescue Corp. as part of a civil judgment.
‘Tiger King’s’ Carole Baskin awarded Joe Exotic’s FMR Zoo
Carole Baskin won a major victory in court Monday against her “Tiger King” nemesis Joe Exotic. In Joe Exotic's worst nightmare scenario, Carole Baskin is now the owner of his infamous animal park. An Oklahoma judge ruled in favor of Baskin's Big Cat Rescue corporation in its lawsuit against Joe Exotic's zoo. The court is giving Baskin control of the 16-acre animal park in Garvin County, Oklahoma, with its array of big cats. An attorney for Jeff Lowe who currently owns Joe Exotic's park, told CNN Baskin's victory was not unexpected.
Nicolas Cage cast as 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic in scripted CBS mini-series
Nicolas Cage will be the Tiger King. On Monday, Variety reported that the actor has been cast as Joe Exotic, the subject of the Netflix documentary series "Tiger King," in a CBS mini-series. The show will center around Joe Schreibvogel, a.k.a Joe Exotic, an eccentric zookeeper in Oklahoma. This is the second scripted TV series that has been announced that will delve into the world of "Tiger King." "Tiger King" arrived on Netflix on March 20 and quickly became part of the cultural zeitgeist.
cnbc.comFinished ‘Tiger King’? 5 over-the-top things to watch next
Will anything ever compare to the antics of Joe Exotic, Doc Antle or Carole Baskin, of “Tiger King” fame? But we have to assume you’ve finished the show by now, which leads us to this next question: What will you watch next? The following five recommendations seem to be just as crazy as “Tiger King” -- not necessarily the same brand of crazy, but on par when it comes to unbelievability, like, “How can this possibly be real?”(OK, and from the sounds of it, No. 5 miiiiight be the same genre as “Tiger King.”)Anyway, to compile this list, we asked around and brainstormed ourselves. I’ll never get those two hours back.”Those weren’t exactly ringing endorsements, but we thought it was worth a mention.
The ‘Tiger King’ reunion special is out and it’s as bonkers as you’d hope
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the rumored “Tiger King” reunion episode has officially dropped, and it’s just as wacky and bonkers as you’d hope it would be. Most fans would probably want to hear from the “Tiger King” himself, Joe Exotic, but as we all know, Exotic is currently in jail, so that wasn’t really a possibility. It also seems that everyone in the cast has moved on from Exotic and thinks that he is a terrible human being. McCale also asked the cast members what celebrity they’d want to play them in a movie version of “Tiger King,” and it was pretty funny to hear their answers. Hop on Netflix and soak in every minute of the bonus episode of “Tiger King.”
We might be getting one more ‘Tiger King’ episode, according to show’s Jeff Lowe
One of the stars of the series, Jeff Lowe, made a personalized Cameo for Los Angeles Dodgers player Justin Turner, and Lowe announced that one more episode is still to come in the epic “Tiger King” saga. So our friend @christie_dish listened to the podcast, @HoldingKourt and after last weeks episode decided to send us this!!! 🚨BREAKING NEWS FOLKS🚨There will be 1 more episode of #TigerKing on@Netflix pic.twitter.com/YeRSIlDKTJ — Justin Turner (@redturn2) April 4, 2020“Netflix is adding one more episode. Netflix hasn’t actually confirmed a new episode of the show, but given its huge popularity while everyone is stuck inside quarantining, it makes sense for the streaming network to capitalize on the “Tiger King” phenomenon while it’s still hot. Oh, and if you still haven’t hunkered down on your couch to watch “Tiger King” yet, what are you waiting for?
Welp, now O.J. Simpson thinks Carole Baskin from ‘Tiger King’ killed her husband
Anyone who has watched Netflix’s new binge-worthy true crime series “Tiger King” is currently asking themselves the biggest questions the series left unanswered, including: Did Carole Baskin kill her husband? While none of us know the answer, that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating (and making memes) about Baskin and her past. And now, as it turns out, one of America’s most notorious felons -- best known as a football star and for being tried in the death of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson -- is weighing in on the “Tiger King” mystery. Simpson, also known as “the Juice,” recently posted a video of himself discussing “Tiger King,” and he said he believes that not only did Baskin kill her husband, but she also fed him to her tigers, therefore making “tiger sashimi,” as Simpson references in the video. “We never close a cold case.”So what do you say, you cool cats and kittens?
Rejoice: Kate McKinnon will play Carole Baskin in TV show, reports say
Variety reports that there is a limited series being made about the big cat lovers, which is based off a podcast called “Joe Exotic," and it will star “SNL’s" Kate McKinnon as Baskin herself. McKinnon signed up to play Baskin in the fall, long before the masses knew anything of the epic feud between Exotic and Baskin, according to the report. Since we have McKinnon cast, the next obvious question is what actors should play the other colorful characters from “Tiger King,” such as Exotic or Doc Antle. Matthew McConaughey comes to mind, especially if you’ve seen him in “Dallas Buyers Club.”Danny McBride, who is known for playing trashy characters, would also nail Exotic. As for who should play Antle, who is equally as zany as Exotic, he’d have to be played by Will Ferrell.
Netflix’s ‘Tiger King’ is essential quarantine viewing
We all know that Netflix has hundreds of movies and TV shows for us to watch, but there’s a new true crime documentary series that just landed called “Tiger King,” and it’s the perfect show to watch while you’re quarantined inside your home. The story mostly follows the self-proclaimed “Tiger King,” also known as Joe Exotic. Exotic (as well as the other exotic animal owners featured in the series) has a nemesis, and her name is Carole Baskin, who owns the Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida. He hates Baskin more than anything in the world, and won’t stop at anything until he sees her destroyed. Let us know what you think of “Tiger King” in the comments once you’ve finished.