“The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” star Steve A. McBee and his sons, Cole McBee and Jesse McBee, have a 2027 court date in a federal lawsuit over the transfer of the reality star’s interests in three family businesses.
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri scheduled a jury trial for May 3, 2027, according to a court order. A pretrial conference is scheduled for April 6, 2027. The court also designated a mediator in May.
The federal government alleges the Bravo star transferred ownership interests to Cole and Jesse while he was under investigation for crop insurance fraud. The McBee family has disputed the government’s allegations surrounding the transfers.
Steve is currently serving a two-year federal prison sentence in South Dakota after pleading guilty to crop insurance fraud.
Steve McBee’s Sons Cole and Jesse Named in Federal Asset Lawsuit
The federal government’s lawsuit centers on business interests Steve transferred to trusts for Cole and Jesse.
According to the government’s complaint, Steve learned of the crop insurance fraud investigation in June 2023. His attorneys later met with U.S. attorneys in December 2023.
The government alleges that on January 7, 2024, Steve transferred the assets while “anticipating a criminal conviction.”
The transfers included Steve’s 39% ownership interest in McBee Properties L.C., 99% interest in Rock Bluff Development LLC, and 99% interest in S&K Enterprises LLC.
According to the lawsuit, Steve divided those interests evenly between Cole and Jesse. The government alleges that Steve received no payment in exchange for the transfers.
The McBee family has pushed back against the government’s claims. In court filings, the family argued that the trusts had been created more than a decade earlier and that transferring assets to them was an established practice.
The lawsuit will now move toward a jury trial unless the parties resolve the dispute before the May 2027 court date.
Federal Government Seeks Monetary Judgments Against Cole and Jesse McBee
The federal government’s lawsuit includes six claims alleging fraudulent conveyance under federal and Missouri law.
Federal attorneys contend that Steve transferred the assets to prevent the government from obtaining them to satisfy his financial obligations stemming from his criminal case. The government also alleges that the transfers occurred without Steve receiving reasonably equivalent value at a time when he knew he would face debts he could not pay.
The government is asking the court for an injunction that would prevent the business interests at issue from being sold, mortgaged or otherwise disposed of while the dispute moves forward.
Federal attorneys are also seeking money judgments against Cole and Jesse for the value of the business interests they allegedly received.
The claims against Cole and Jesse involve the disputed asset transfers and are separate from the crop insurance fraud charge to which their father pleaded guilty. As part of Steve’s plea agreement in the criminal case, the federal government agreed not to charge members of his family with crop insurance fraud.
The “The McBee Dynasty” season 3 finale airs Monday, August 17, on Bravo.
