Steven “Steve” McBee Sr. was brought to light during season 1 of The McBee Dynasty: The Real American Cowboys – but soon his legal problems were in the news.
Fans met Steve and his four sons, Steven McBee Jr., Jesse McBee, Cole McBee again Brayden McBeeduring the first season of the reality show in 2024 as they take viewers inside their lives running McBee Farm & Cattle in Missouri. When the cameras stop rolling, tragedy strikes the family after Steve pleads guilty in November 2024 to his involvement in a multimillion-dollar government crop insurance fraud scheme.
In season 2 of the Bravo series, Steven took over the farm and slowly let his brothers in on their biggest secret: their father was under FBI investigation. In October 2025, Steve was sentenced to two years in prison.
When the cameras rolled for season 3, it was the day before Steve's sentencing – and two months before the day he turned himself in to prison. Steve appeared on camera during the July 2026 episode, which was filmed one month before he began his prison sentence in December 2025.
Scroll down to find out everything we know about Steve's legal issues:
When Was The Last Time Fans Saw Steve On 'McBee Dynasty'?
During the season 1 finale, which aired in March 2024, the CFO Galyna Saltkovska told Steve that he had failed to make a deal with investors to expand his auto fueling business. The two's romantic relationship reached a critical stage which resulted in Steve drinking too much at their annual post-harvest farming celebration.
When this episode ended, Steven told his brothers, “We are going alone, father, everything he said is that he does not know when he will return, he said that he is not in a good condition to manage this farm.”
Steve was noticeably absent from most of the second season of the Bravo series, which premiered in June 2025. He made his first appearance this season in an August 2025 episode where he reunited with his sons in Nashville. Steve was also present at the end of the season, which documented the wedding of son Jesse.
During the season 3 premiere, which aired in June 2026, Steve's conviction in his fraud case was a big deal. Although not seen on camera, his sons all responded to his two-year sentence, which was handed down in October 2025. However, he was part of Cole and Kacie AdkisonEngagement celebration included in July 2026 episode.
When Was He Charged — And What Was He Accused Of?
In November 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri announced in a press release that Steve had been charged with one count of crop insurance fraud. Steve is accused of making a false report to insurance provider Rain and Hill in 2018, in which he reported “his corn crop of approximately 674,812 bushels” and “his entire 2018 soybean crop of approximately 155,833 bushels,” according to the DOJ.
Steve allegedly received more than $2.6 million in federal crop insurance benefits and an additional $552,000 in federal crop insurance subsidies after providing false numbers.
The DOJ further stated that Steve committed fraud in 2019 and 2020. It is alleged that he misrepresented that his bean crops were “first crop in certain fields” in 2019, when he used the same space to plant wheat. When he allegedly decided to invest twice, the DOJ argued that he was “not entitled” to the insurance claim he filed.
In 2020, Steve allegedly planted corn after the last planting date for that year and then gave NAU Country Insurance “false planting dates” to obtain a fraudulent new insurance policy.
The McBee Dynasty brothers vowed to show “the good, the bad, the ugly” on their reality show – including their unfiltered reaction to father Steve McBee's FBI investigation. “It's really hard because that's always at the forefront of your mind, no matter what you're doing,” oldest son Steven McBee Jr. it told us specifically. […]
Did He Plead Guilty?
Steve pleaded guilty in November 2024, admitting that his farm sold “more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and approximately 416,000 bushels of soybeans” to another party in 2018, according to the press release.
According to a press release, Steve signed a plea agreement in which he agreed to pay restitution to be determined by the court. The government is said to have lost more than $4 million and Steve is estimated to owe more than $3.1 million.
When was he sentenced?
Steve waived his right to be a grand jury when he signed his plea agreement in November 2024 and was facing up to 30 years in federal prison without parole.
His sentencing was scheduled for March 2025 but was postponed to June and later in September of that year. News broke in September 2025 that Steve's sentencing had been delayed a fourth time and was scheduled for October 16, 2025.
A judge sentenced Steve to 24 months in prison and another two years of supervised release, according to court documents obtained by Mr. Us. Steve was ordered to pay $4,022,124 in restitution. He had to surrender on December 1, 2025, to begin his sentence.
During the first season 3 of The McBee dynastyaired in June 2026, Steve's conviction was highlighted. Fans learned that in addition to $4 million in restitution, he was ordered to pay a $3 million fine.
How Did 'McBee Dynasty' Explain His Season 2 Absence?
During the season 2 premiere in June 2025, which was filmed in late summer 2024, the cast talked about Steve, but he wasn't on the show. “He just got up and skipped town,” the employee Tessa he told his manager's cameras during the episode.
Later in the season, the boys say that Steve has been going out with his new girlfriend, Mashainternationally.
How Did Steve's Family Learn About The FBI Investigation?
Galyna let it slip during season 2, episode 3, that Steve was being investigated by the FBI. At that time, his eldest son, Steven, confirmed that only he, Galyna, and Steve's ex-wife, Kristi McBeehe knew about the investigation. “My father is under investigation by the FBI, and you and my mother are the only ones who know that this is happening. Therefore, this should remain between us,” Steven told Galyna during the episode, which aired in July 2025.
Steven then told the cameras, “This FBI investigation is all about my dad. He wanted nothing to do with it.[ing] any of us guys. My brothers don't know anything about it.”
Steven who was now a girlfriend Call Jackson she revealed during season 2, episode 6, that she confided in him about Steve's legal troubles.
Steven's younger brothers finally heard about this scandal when they were filming season 2. [dealing with],” only Jesse said Us Weekly in July 2025. “It made a lot of sense, the way Steven was stressed and we were trying to figure out why we thought we knew all his stress, and obviously he was holding that and carrying that weight on his shoulders.”
PEACOCK McBee Dynasty star Steven “Steve” McBee has pleaded guilty to a multi-million dollar fraud involving government crop insurance. According to a Nov. 5 filing with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri, McBee, 52, was charged with crop insurance fraud. The owner of McBee Farming Operations is said to have found out […]
What Do Steve's Sons Say About His Case?
Since Steve pleaded guilty to insurance fraud, the family has welcomed two new members. Cole and his girlfriend, Kacie, welcomed their first child, daughter Blair, in December 2024. Jesse and his wife, Alli McBeewelcomed their daughter, Summer, in April 2025.
While the family worried about Steve's fate, Jesse and Steven were only told Us July 2025 that they were focusing on small moments.
“We depend on the family. We take it day by day,” said Steven. “The situation is ongoing. We hope to wrap it up and have an end to it before the end of the year. That's the goal, just to keep saying, 'OK, we got this. We can start life again now.'
He added, “The hard part about it is the unknown. We don't know what it's going to look like, so we're preparing. We have dinner together as a family with dad, including mom driving to the farm three to four nights a week, enjoying time with the big kids. Just enjoying time as a family because we don't know what it's like.”
Did Steve Appear During Season 3?
The McBee family and friends, including Steve McBee, celebrate Cole and Kacie joining 'The McBee Dynasty.'
Paul Andrews/BravoSeason 3 of the Bravo series premiered in June 2026, picking up 24 hours before Steve's sentencing. Although Steve was not shown during the episode, his sentencing hearing and the fate of his family in prison was the main topic.
“It's the worst feeling I've ever felt. I don't know where this $7 million is going to come from,” Cole said after learning his father owed $4 million in restitution and $3 million in fines.
Steven was equally worried, telling his siblings, “It's the worst money I'm worried about. [about]. December 1? That gives us what, six weeks [with him].”
Steve's sons decide to sell their property to help pay off the debt and make sure the banks don't start calling to collect on the loan.
One month after his sentence, Steve reunited with his family on camera to celebrate son Cole's wedding. The episode was filmed in November 2025 and aired in July 2026, showing Steve and his sons, ex-wife Kristi and their grandchildren raising a glass to the milestone of Cole and Kacie's relationship.
