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“McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” star Steven McBee Sr. was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving crop insurance.
In a sentencing hearing on Thursday, Oct. 16, McBee was also ordered to an additional two years of supervised release once he completes his prison sentence, and will have to pay $4,022,124 in restitution to the U.S.D.A. Risk Management Agency, per People.
According to court documents obtained by People, McBee was ordered to forfeit “all property, real and personal, constituting, or derived from, proceeds traceable to the offenses, directly or indirectly, as a result of the violations alleged” in September. The items returned include three designer watches: a Tag Heuer Formula 1 watch, a Tag Heuer Grand Carrera watch and a Rolex Daytona.
The 52-year-old reality star has until 2 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2025, to surrender to the Federal Prison Camp in Yankton, South Dakota.
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“McBee Dynasty” star Steven McBee Sr. was sentenced to two years in federal prison. (Paul Andrews/PEACOCK via Getty Images)
Following his sentencing, McBee took to his Instagram stories on Friday to thank his followers for their well wishes. In the post, he shared a text message he received from a friend letting him know they are praying for him and that they are there for him if he needs them.
“The number of messages I have received touches my heart beyond measure that words could express. but the truth of the matter is, I’m the one who’s lucky..lucky to have been able to spend time with so many high character young people and they were the ones that made me a better human not the other way around.” McBee wrote alongside the screenshot.
He continued, “I count my blessings every day for my family and the support they give me and for my extended family that continues to grow each and every day. This too shall pass…”
According to a press release from the Department of Justice, McBee pleaded guilty to one count of federal crop insurance fraud in November 2024, admitting he “engaged in fraudulent activity from 2018 to 2020 that caused an economic loss to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”
McBee was facing up to 30 years in prison. (Paul Andrews/PEACOCK via Getty Images)
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Prior to the sentencing on Thursday, McBee was facing up to 30 years in federal prison, with prosecutors recommending 41 months in prison and three years of supervision.
“McBee submitted fraudulent documents to Rain and Hail that underreported his total 2018 corn crop by approximately 674,812 bushels and underreported his total 2018 soybean crop by approximately 155,833 bushels,” the press release read. “As a result of these false reports, McBee received $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as $552,980 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies to which he was not entitled, for a total of $3,158,923.”
WATCH: RANCHER REALITY STAR STEVE MCBEE SAYS ‘YELLOWSTONE’ IGNITES A ‘CRAVING’ FOR THE COWBOY LIFESTYLE
News of the sentencing comes just one day after Bravo announced they renewed the show for a third season.
The show first premiered in 2024 on Peacock and USA Network, before Bravo picked it up for its second season. The show focuses on the McBee family as they work together to run McBee Farm & Cattle Co., a family-owned farm and cattle ranch.
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The reality show focuses on the McBee family as they run their family business. (Emerson Miller/PEACOCK via Getty Images)
When speaking with Fox News Digital in June 2024, McBee said the popularity of the television show, “Yellowstone,” created a “craving” for the cowboy lifestyle.
“So, I don’t even care if you’re an analyst for a hedge fund on Wall Street. You see a ‘Yellowstone’ and you have this craving inside of you. ‘I want to be on a horse’ or ‘I want to be driving a tractor, raising the crop,'” McBee said.
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