By MATT PIKE

St. Joseph Post

A Gallatin man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show has pleaded guilty in federal court to a fraud scheme.

52 year old Steve McBee was charged by Judge Stephen Bough with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series “The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” on Peacock.

By pleading guilty, McBee admitted to engaging in fraudulent activity between 2018 and 2020 that caused a loss to the US Department of Agriculture. He is ordered to pay restitution and must forfeit $3,158,923 to the government

McBee admitted in federal court that he engaged in fraudulent activity that caused an economic loss to the federal government. Under the terms of the plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923.