Tiger King star; Bhagavan Mahamayavi “Doc” Antle & 4 others indicted. Wildlife Trafficking, Money Laundering..

Holy CRAP…how many confidential informants? How many Federal Law Enforcement Agencies? Doc you’ll need to speak slower? Smile the cameras. Tap. Tap. Tap. are these mics on?

Welcome to money laundering & Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act…

The Lacey Act was amended by Congress in 2008, 16 U.S.C. §§ 3371-3378 -this act extended its protections to a broad range of plants and plant products, making it unlawful to import into the United States any plant or plant product that was illegally harvested. It also makes it unlawful to import certain products without a declaration. Below is a (pretty) complete list of Amendments enacted by Congress since the 2008 codification…

• March 31, 2020, Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions

• March 2, 2020, Lacey Act Implementation Plan: De Minimis Exception 

• July 9, 2018, Lacey Act Implementation Plan: Composite Plant Materials

• October 20, 2017, Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions

• February 6, 2015, Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions

• Final rule Common Food Crop Common Cultivar Definitions 
  (Lacey Act Implementation Plan; Definitions for Exempt and Regulated Articles)  

• June 30, 2011, Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

• February 28, 2011, Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions

• August 4, 2010, Common Food Crops and Common Cultivars Definitions

• September 2, 2009, Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions

• February 3, 2009, Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions

• October 8, 2008, Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions 

The Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. §1531 et seq. (1973) prohibits -meaning it makes in unlawful for individuals to: import, export, or taking of fish and wildlife and plants, which are listed as threatened or endangered species; provides for adding species to and removing them from the list of threatened and endangered species,

USA v Antle prerequisite case background;

Before Antle’s June 30, 2022 arraignment in Federal District Court, in South Carolina, you should know a few facts because once you read the June 1st Affidavit along with the June 30th Indictment and the June 30th Affidavit regarding the Forfeiture —only then do you get the totality of this recent DOJ roll up. In short the Feds spent a better part of 20+ months investigating, wiring several confidential informants and conducted three controlled money laundering transactions.

• On June 2, 2022: a sealed COMPLAINT as to Defendants; Mahamayavi Antle (1), Andrew Jon Sawyer (2) was docketed. See case styled as:

  • United States v. Mahamayavi Antle Case No 4:22-mj-00023 see the partially redacted complaint via SCDC-ECF -also my Scribd account to download this filing at zero cost to you.

• Upon reading the affidavit, you’ll note it’s literally pages and pages of transcripts from recorded conversations. With the central focus on Antle and his money laundering needs/requests.

• Defendant Antle was taken into Federal Custody on or about June 3. 2022, along with co-Defendants; Andrew Jon Sawyer, William James Dallis, but it wasn’t until Jun 29, 2022 ORDER FOR ISSUANCE OF WARRANT as to Jason Clay (see ECF)

• On June 6, 2022 -the following Minute Entry was docketed: …”for proceedings held before Magistrate Judge Thomas E Rogers, III: Initial Appearance as to Mahamayavi Antle, Andrew Jon Sawyer held on 6/6/2022. AUSA Derek Shoemake present. Defendants present, in custody, in courtroom. General appearance entered by Andy Moorman and Ryan Beasley for Defendant, Mahamayavi Antle and General appearance entered by Russell Long for Defendant, Andrew Jon Sawyer. Oral motion made and granted to unseal (with exception of personal identifiers). Parties received copy of complaint, defendants indicated they understood charges. Government moved for detention. Detention/preliminary hearing set for Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 2:30 pm”

• On June 17, 2022 — the following Minute Entry: “for proceedings held before Magistrate Judge Thomas E Rogers, III: Bond Hearing as to Andrew Jon Sawyer held on 6/17/2022. AUSA Amy Boyer present. Defendant present, in custody, in courtroom, and represented by Christopher Adams (who appeared via video). (Portion of record sealed). Court will set bond with conditions.”

• On June 28, 2022 - INDICTMENT (Sealed Grand Jury Ballot attached) as to Bhagavan Mahamayavi Antle (1) count(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, Andrew Jon Sawyer (2) count(s) 7-8, 10, Meredith Bybee (3) count(s) 3, 4, Charles Sammut (4) count(s) 1, 2, Jason Clay (5) count(s) 5, 6. —see ECF and this is when you notice that there were additional defendants added to this case. You can download the indictment via my Scribd account.

Antle is the owner and operator of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.), also known as the Myrtle Beach Safari. The Myrtle Beach Safari is a 50-acre wildlife tropical preserve in Myrtle Beach. Sawyer and Bybee are Antle’s employees and business associates.

Sammut is the owner and operator of Vision Quest Ranch, a for-profit corporation that housed captive exotic species and sold tours and safari experiences to guests. Clay is the owner and operator of the Franklin Drive Thru Safari, a for-profit corporation that housed captive exotic species and sold tours and safari experiences to guests.

See June 30, 2022 DOJ-OPA and unfortunately that Press Release does not embed either the original June 2, 2022 Complaint/Affidavit or the June 30, 2022 Indictment. As is my standard practice I’ve embedded the ECF links (see USA v Antle et al Case No 4:22-cr-00580 ←link is to the docket report for aforesaid criminal case) —the government alleges that Antle & Sawyer engaged in a money laundering scheme that occurred in 2022 —but it’s important to remember the June 2nd complaint details previous money laundering schemes going all the way back to 2019. Notwithstanding in 2022 the FBI & HSI conducted three controlled money laundering transactions, totally over $500,000.00 and that’s what is further alleged in the indictment

• See June 30, 2022 —Application (see ECF) and Affidavit for Seizure Warrant, (see ECF for 34 pages of facts) again you can download the 34 page filing via my Scribd account at no cost…because after all sharing is caring, right?

  

…specifically I’d like to draw your attention to pages 4 et seq —take note of the names of the businesses and signatories on each of these accounts. Upon closer examination of the forfeiture affidavit (regarding the nearly three quarters of a million dollars) now seized, you’ll note these three names are not included in the June 30th Indictment.

Both Defendants Antle and Sawyer (principals of aforesaid crimes) could each face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the charges related to money laundering, and up to five years in federal prison for the charges related to wildlife trafficking, as alleged in the indictment…

Whereas Defendant Bybee, Sammut and Clay could each face a maximum of five years in federal prison for the charges related to the wildlife trafficking. Antle and Sawyer were previously granted a bond by a federal magistrate judge as a result of the charges in the federal complaint, and Bybee, Sammut and Clay are pending arraignment.

See you on July 6th of 7th but have a great 4th of July.

And lastly your daily saltwater therapy. It’s both sad and hilarious that my super obese I mean obsess SFWs stalkers continue to falsely report my Instagram Account. But I suppose haters don’t really have a life, beyond their sick obsession. Although I am pretty sure Instagram now understands what they are doing. That said back in April 2022 I realized that getting up at 5AM does have its benefits. Originally I thought I only snapped a picture of the planetary alignment, turns out I actually recorded video.👇🏻 ENJOY👇🏻

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And since our renters had a family emergency, we decided to sneak out of DC for a long weekend. Which means the family and I are back at the beach, exactly where I’m meant to be. There’s no sense in having an empty beach rental so I made the executive decision to indulge in some self care. Nonetheless I’ll be slathering on the SPF googolplex onto my most of my quasi healed second degree burns. This is my roundabout way of saying I’m unlikely to publish a Substack Article until next Tuesday or Wednesday, when we return to DC.

Until then, be well and make smart decisions.

xo -Filey