Farmer and reality TV star plead guilty to multimillion-dollar fraud

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Gallatin, Missouri, farmer whose family farm is featured on a reality TV show pleaded guilty Tuesday in KCMO federal court to a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.

Steve A. McBee, 52, owner of McBee Farming Operations and the main character of the series. Reality series “Peacock / Bravo” “The McBee Dynasty: The Real American Cowboys.”

McBee pleaded guilty to one count of federal crop insurance fraud, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas City.

He will pay the compensation determined by the court.

The press release states that the total damages claimed by the government are $4,022,123.

McBee must also pay the government $3,158,923.

He could face up to 30 years in prison without parole.

McBee admitted that his agricultural business sold more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans to another party in 2018, according to the press release.

He submitted false crop insurance reports that stated his farm produced only 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans.

McBee also admitted at Tuesday’s hearing that he committed fraud in 2019 and 2020.

A sentencing date has not been set.

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