A Gallatin man pled guilty in federal court to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits he was not entitled to receive. Fifty-two-year-old Steve A. McBee, whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show, waived his right to a grand jury. In the press release by the US Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, they state that McBee admitted that he engaged in fraudulent activity from 2018 to 2020 that caused an economic loss to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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.
Under federal statutes, McBee is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.