Give Now  »

News Contact IPM News Indiana Public Media News

{ "banners": { "tv" : [ {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/2-24-23-to-2-25-23-and-2-27-23-to-3-1-23-wtiu-bnr-new.jpg", "startingDate" : "1677214800000", "endingDate" : "1677387540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/2-26-23-and-3-6-23-wtiu-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1677387600000", "endingDate" : "1677473940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/2-24-23-to-2-25-23-and-2-27-23-to-3-1-23-wtiu-bnr-new.jpg", "startingDate" : "1677474000000", "endingDate" : "1677733140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/3-2-23-wtiu-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1677733200000", "endingDate" : "1677819540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/2-26-23-and-3-6-23-wtiu-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1678078800000", "endingDate" : "1678165140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-31-22-wtiu-am-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672462800000", "endingDate" : "1672527540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-31-22-wtiu-pm-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672527600000", "endingDate" : "1672549140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-4-22-wtiu-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672549200000", "endingDate" : "1672635540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/3-20-22-and-4-24-22-sanditon-webbnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1650772800000", "endingDate" : "1650859140000"} ], "radio" : [ {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-15-22-wfiu-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672117200000", "endingDate" : "1672289940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-21-22-wfiu-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1671598800000", "endingDate" : "1672117140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-29-22-wfiu-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672290000000", "endingDate" : "1672462740000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-31-22-wfiu-1-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672462800000", "endingDate" : "1672520340000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-31-22-wfiu-2-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672520400000", "endingDate" : "1672549140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/1-1-22-wfiu-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672549200000", "endingDate" : "1672635540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-16-22-wfiu-challenge-bnr.jpg", "startingDate" : "1663372800000", "endingDate" : "1663380000000"} ] }}
{ "lightboxes": { "tv" : [ {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/2-24-23-to-2-25-23-and-2-27-23-to-3-1-23-wtiu-lightbox-new.jpg", "startingDate" : "1677214800000", "endingDate" : "1677387540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/2-26-23-and-3-6-23-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1677387600000", "endingDate" : "1677473940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/2-24-23-to-2-25-23-and-2-27-23-to-3-1-23-wtiu-lightbox-new.jpg", "startingDate" : "1677474000000", "endingDate" : "1677733140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/3-2-23-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1677733200000", "endingDate" : "1677819540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/2-26-23-and-3-6-23-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1678078800000", "endingDate" : "1678165140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-31-22-wtiu-am-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672462800000", "endingDate" : "1672527540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-31-22-wtiu-pm-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672527600000", "endingDate" : "1672549140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/1-1-23-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672549200000", "endingDate" : "1672635540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/3-20-22-and-4-24-22-sanditon-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1650772800000", "endingDate" : "1650859140000"} ], "radio" : [ {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-15-22-wfiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672117200000", "endingDate" : "1672289940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-21-22-wfiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1671598800000", "endingDate" : "1672117140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-29-22-wfiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672290000000", "endingDate" : "1672462740000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-31-22-wfiu-1-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672462800000", "endingDate" : "1672520340000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/12-31-22-wfiu-2-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1672520400000", "endingDate" : "1672549140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-16-22-wfiu-challenge-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1663372800000", "endingDate" : "1663380000000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-20-22-wfiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1663646400000", "endingDate" : "1663707540000"} ] }}
true true true true
true
true
true
true

'Tiger King’s' Timothy Stark loses appeal, still personally liable for misappropriated funds

By Molly Murphy

Posted February 24, 2023

A photo of WIN owner Tim Stark.

Former owner of Wildlife in Need, Timothy Stark (WFIU/WTIU News File)

An Indiana state appeals court affirmed its 2020 decision to hold Timothy Stark, owner of a now defunct animal sanctuary, personally liable for misappropriated funds from his Charlestown-based non-profit. Stark and his non-profit, Wildlife in Need, garnered national attention in the Netflix series Tiger King.

In February 2020, former Indiana Attorney General, Curtis Hill, filed a complaint against Stark and Melisa Lane, WIN’s secretary and treasurer.

The complaint required Stark and Lane to return all of the misappropriated funds and assets back to WIN, in addition to issuing an injunction to prevent WIN, Stark, and Lane from owning and exhibiting exotic or native animals.  

Read more: Judge bans Indiana 'Tiger King' star from ever owning more animals

That same month, the USDA stripped Stark of his animal exhibitor license, citing more than 100 violations of animal welfare regulations.

The trial court appointed the Indianapolis Zoological Society to oversee the dissolution of WIN, recover the misappropriated funds, liquidate its assets and organize the relocation of all the animals at WIN.

Stark and WIN were found to be in contempt after Stark and WIN removed over $100,000 worth of animals from the property before IZS could take custody of them. IZS discovered some of the animals in a box truck near the property “with no ventilation, food or water,” according to the Court of Appeals’ order.

In 2021, the trial jury found Stark personally responsible for the misappropriation of funds and stated that Stark “breached his fiduciary duties” as WIN’s president.

Stark appealed that decision, arguing the state did not satisfy the legal requirements for “piercing the corporate veil”. Piercing the corporate veil refers to a situation in which a corporation acts so egregiously that the limited liability protections no longer apply and the individuals involved are held personally responsible.

The appeals court heard Stark’s argument and, finding it unpersuasive, concluded that piercing the corporate veil was warranted. The court affirmed the trial court’s original decision to hold Stark personally liable for the misappropriated funds and assets.

In a statement, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita praised the decision.

“Despite his 15 minutes of fame in the Netflix documentary Tiger King and Tiger King 2, Stark was still required to abide by the law – just like any other citizen,” Rokita said.

The Attorney General’s office said this case should be used as an example for non-profit organizations to use their donations as intended and be transparent about their activities.

Read Next

Want to contact your legislators about an issue that matters to you? Find out how to contact your senators and member of Congress here.

Support For Indiana Public Media Comes From
Local News Headlines, delivered free to your inbox each weekday

Recent Business and Economy Stories