A Missouri farmer who starred in a reality TV show about his family business pleaded guilty to a multimillion-dollar insurance fraud scheme.
Steve A. McBee, 52, starred with his four sons in The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys on Peacock.
Season 1 of the series, which premiered in March, opened with the patriarch claiming that McBee Farm & Cattle Company was on its way “to becoming a multi-billion dollar company.”
However, McBee will not return for the second season and has pleaded guilty to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.
“I entered into a plea deal to address crop insurance issues with agricultural operations in 2018-2020. I personally accept responsibility because the buck stops with me,” McBee said The Kansas City star.
Steve A. McBee (center), 52, co-starred with his four sons in The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys on Peacock
The Patriarch Claimed McBee Farm & Cattle Company Was on Its Way ‘to Become a Billion-Dollar Company’
“I will always acknowledge a failure in judgment and action, just as I will always celebrate our McBee team when it achieves success.
“From our first-generation family farm to all of McBee’s other family businesses, we are committed to doing business the right way. The high standards we meet now in 2024 will continue to guide McBee’s efforts and projects into the future.”
McBee waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty to a federal information charging him on Nov. 5 with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. The US Attorney’s Office.
He admitted to engaging in fraudulent activity between 2018 and 2020 by submitting false reports to insurance companies.
McBee underreported to Rain and Hail, a company reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, that its farming operations produced only 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans in 2018.
In reality, his farm sold more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans.
As a result of these false reports, McBee received $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as $552,980 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies to which he was not entitled, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
McBee will not return for the second season and has pleaded guilty to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits
The father (right) admitted to engaging in fraudulent activity by submitting false claims to insurance companies between 2018 and 2020
He also provided false information to Rain and Hail to obtain insurance for the McBee farming operation’s 2019 soybean crop, by misrepresenting the fact that soybeans were the first crop in certain fields when wheat was already growing those fields had been harvested.
In 2020, McBee’s farm planted corn after the last planting date of that year, making the crop ineligible for insurance.
However, McBee provided false planting dates on crop insurance documents to NAU Country Insurance.
His sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2025, at which he could face a prison sentence of up to 30 years without parole. He must also forfeit $3,158,923 to the government.
The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys returns for a second season in 2025 and it was moved from streaming on Peacock to the company’s reality TV network Bravo.
McBee is not listed as a cast member for the new season.