‘The McBee Dynasty’: Steven McBee’s Legal Troubles Explained
‘The McBee Dynasty’: Steven McBee’s Legal Troubles Explained
“The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” may have finished its second season on Bravo, but the drama for the McBee family is far from over.
Off-camera, the ranching empire has been dealing with serious legal troubles. Family patriarch Steven McBee pleaded guilty to federal crop insurance fraud in November 2024, admitting to falsifying reports that cost the government millions.
Now, with sentencing set for September 2025, the McBees are facing some of the toughest challenges in their history.
“The McBee Dynasty” Exposed the Family’s Real-Life Struggles
Season 2 of “The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” offered Bravo fans a glimpse of the family’s financial and legal hardships. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Missouri, Steven McBee admitted to falsifying soybean and corn crop reports between 2018 and 2020. The false submissions led to more than $3 million in federal crop insurance and premium subsidies.
By pleading guilty, Steven McBee acknowledged the fraudulent activity caused economic harm to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He now faces up to 30 years in federal prison without parole and owes more than $3 million in restitution. His sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2025, according to DTN.
On the family’s podcast, “Meet the McBees,” Steven’s sons addressed the charges, reading their father’s statement to listeners. “I personally accept responsibility as the buck stops with me,” the statement read. “I will always acknowledge a failure in judgement and action, just like I will always celebrate our McBee team when it comes to enjoying success.”
Steven McBee Opens Up About Debt and Family Fallout
While Steven McBee Sr. awaits sentencing, his children are left to manage both the ranch and the fallout. Steven McBee Jr. told The New York Post in June 2024 that the ordeal had “made us come closer together as a family,” though he admitted the situation remained heavy during filming.
On the season 2 finale, Steven Jr. also revealed just how dire the company’s finances had become. “In the financial state of the farm, we’re leveraged out,” he explained. “We’ve got close to $70 million in debt, between the payroll, meat facility, seed, fertilizer, fulfillment center, vehicles, fuels, [equipment] repair, cattle feed, utilities, insurance, medicine, attorneys. It keeps me up at night. We could lose our entire company immediately.”
Despite the looming debt and legal challenges, Steven Jr. stressed that the family is determined to move forward. “Anyone who knows us on a personal or professional level sees how hard we work, sees the real businesses, the real jobs we provide,” he told the Post.
Fans can watch seasons 1 and 2 of “The McBee Dynasty” on Peacock.
