U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough sentenced Steve McBee Sr., the star of the reality series “McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys,” to two years in federal prison Wednesday for his role in a multi-million-dollar crop insurance fraud scheme.
The 52-year-old must report to federal prison in Yankton, South Dakota, by 2 p.m. on Dec. 1, according to USA Today. Bough also ordered McBee to serve two years of supervised release and pay $4,022,124 in restitution. McBee was convicted in November after prosecutors said he falsified insurance claims tied to his family’s Missouri farming operation. (RELATED: ‘Real Housewives’ Stars Wendy, Edward Osefo Reportedly Arrested On Felony Fraud Charges)
McBee admitted to orchestrating the scheme between 2018 and 2020, defrauding the Department of Agriculture of more than $4 million, the outlet reported. Prosecutors said he filed false crop yield reports to Rain and Hail, an insurer backed by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, to inflate his payout.
He ultimately pleaded guilty to one count of federal crop insurance fraud and agreed to forfeit over $3.1 million to the government, the Department of Justice said.
McBee pocketed more than $2.6 million in crop insurance benefits and roughly $552,000 in premium subsidies to which he wasn’t entitled, according to a November 2024 Department of Justice press release.
He initially faced up to 30 years in prison. Prosecutors sought a 41-month sentence, while his attorneys pushed for probation. Judge Bough ultimately handed down a 24-month sentence — a middle ground between the two recommendations.