Steven McBee Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Crop Insurance Fraud, Faces 30 Years in Prison

By Nmesoma OkechukwuOn Nov 21, 2024

Steven McBee, the 52-year-old star of The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys and owner of McBee Farming Operations, has pleaded guilty to a federal crop insurance fraud scheme that resulted in large financial losses for the United States Department of Agriculture.

The case has received widespread attention, owing to its size and the prominence of its principal person.

Details Of The Fraud

The Western District of Missouri U.S. Attorney’s Office reports that McBee acknowledged committing fraud from 2018 to 2020.

McBee greatly underreported his crop output by providing Rain and Hail, a business supported by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, with forged documentation.

Although his company harvested more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and about 416,000 bushels of soybeans in 2018, he claimed to have produced 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans in 2018 alone.

These misrepresentations enabled McBee to illegally claim $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits and $552,980 in premium subsidies, totaling $3,158,923 in unauthorized payments.

The DOJ reported that the government lost $4,022,123 as a result of the fraud. McBee has consented to forfeit $3,158,923 and must pay restitution, the total amount of which will be determined by the court.

Previous Fraudulent Activity

McBee’s fraudulent practices extended into subsequent years. In 2019, he claimed that soybean crops were the first crops planted in fields that had already yielded wheat earlier in the year.

This misrepresentation allowed him to collect benefits he was not eligible for, as federal crop insurance policies cover only the first crop planted on a plot of land annually.

In 2020, McBee provided false planting dates on insurance documents and harvested crops after the last planting date, making them ineligible for coverage. These actions secured additional unauthorized benefits, which he has since admitted to in his guilty plea.

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McBee’s Potential Penalties

McBee’s guilty plea to one count of federal crop insurance fraud exposes him to a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will follow a pre-sentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

The legal troubles have overshadowed McBee’s role as the patriarch of The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys, a reality show that aired its first season on Peacock.

The series showcased the high-stakes operations of McBee Farm and Cattle, as the family business faced a critical decision regarding a potential $100 million venture capital deal while managing $50 million in debt.

The show also delved into McBee’s personal struggles, including tensions with his sons—Steven Jr., Jesse, and Cole—which were amplified by an explosive affair.

While the series is set to return for a second season on Bravo in 2025, McBee will not be featured due to his legal challenges.

McBee once described his reality show as “the most realistic reality show out today,” emphasizing its focus on family dynamics and business struggles. Now, his criminal activities have cast a shadow over his legacy, leaving his family to grapple with the fallout and the future of their farming operations.

As McBee awaits sentencing, his story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of financial fraud, no matter one’s public image or success.

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