The ups and downs of the McBee dynasty family over the years

McBee Dynasty: The Real American Cowboys illuminate Steven “Steve” McBee and his family while running a farm in Missouri—but not everything was always like this. Smooth operation for farmers.

Steve and his ex-wife, Christy McBeeAfter 28 years of marriage, his infidelity came to light, leading her to file for divorce. The couple have a son together Steven McBee Jr., Jesse McBee, Cole McBee and Braden McBeeseparated in 2019.

Despite personal adversity, Steve continued to pursue his dream of building McBee Farm & Cattle Co. into a large-scale enterprise with the help of his sons. However, in November 2024, Steve plead guilty one count of federal crop insurance fraud. Their family and farm are in chaos.

“We take it day by day,” Steven Exclusive story US Weekly “It’s still going on,” Steve said of the July 2025 plan. “We’re hoping to get this done and finalized by the end of the year. That’s our goal so we can move forward and say, ‘OK, we’ve solved this problem. We can start living our lives again now.'” Sentenced to two years in prison Jailed in October 2025.

Scroll down to relive the McBee family’s ups and downs, starting with the purchase of the farm in the 1990s:

1998

Steve purchased his first piece of land, a 300-acre tract of land in Missouri.

2005

After purchasing more land and having “some issues” with local farmers he hired, Steve reportedly began farming the land himself. Company website.

2009

Steve added cattle farming to his resume by expanding his farm to raise livestock. The company later added buffalo to their roster of farm animals.

2018

After Steven joined the farm full-time, he created Apex Protein Snacks As a branch of the company. Apex sells high-protein meat snacks, including jerky and travel bars.

2019

“Steve and I were married for 28 years. Then I started finding out there was a lot of infidelity,” Christy revealed in season two. McBee Dynastynoted that she filed for divorce in 2019.

After the breakup, Christie founded her own company, Lan-Tel Communications. “Steve made it clear that I would have it operational within six months,” she said on the Bravo series in July 2025, describing her businesses as “communications, underground construction and (a) concrete company.”

She revealed, “We’ve been able to triple the size of the business. A little revenge.”

2022

Starring Steven Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorerpremiering in January. On the show, he met cara jackson. The couple dated on and off 2021 to 2024.

That June, the McBees opened their first McBee Coffee and Car Wash in Missouri. As of September 2025, there are eight locations in Missouri and three locations in Arkansas.

2023

In the summer of 2023, the family expanded the business and opened McBee Meat Company. The facility in Lamoni, Iowa, ships products from farm to fork. In the same year, the crew filmed the first season of the show McBee Dynasty: The Real American Cowboys.

2024

McBee Dynasty Premiered on Peacock in March, it follows a family’s life as farmers and ranchers. That September, the family launched their "Meet Mike Bee” podcast.

In October, the second eldest son Jesse marries his high school sweetheart, Ellie McBeein Missouri. A month later, Steve admitted his role in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme.

Steve was charged in November One count of federal crop insurance fraud after being accused of falsifying reports on crop yields and misrepresenting their crops’ uses. His sentencing took place the following year.

Amid chaos, McBee family celebrates Cole and girlfriend’s birth Kathy Addisonthe first child, daughter blair,December. Blair is Steve and Christy’s first grandchild.

2025

mike bees expanded their nest In April, Jesse and Ellie’s first child was born, daughter summer.

June, Season 2 McBee Dynasty Premieres on Bravo. It was renewed for a third season in October of the same year.

As fans learn more about Steve’s legal woes, his family awaits his sentencing in October. The judge ruled that Steve must serve two years in prison and a further two years under supervision. us It was confirmed that Steve was ordered to pay $4,022,124 in restitution. According to court documents, Steve has until 2 p.m. on December 1 to turn himself in.

2026

In April 2026, Steven McBee Jr. shocked fans. accuses his girlfriendAllie Eklund cheated on him at the Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, California.

“I still don’t know what happened,” he said via a Instagram video. “All I know is that there were people holding hands, grinding, dancing, and getting drunk and passed out at an after-party.”

Steven continued, “I have no idea what was going on in her head after the party, there was just a hole that needed to be looked at all the time… I think there was some loyalty there.”

Ellie Later broke her silence and said it was “extremely frustrating and extremely unfair” that he posted about their business on social media.

“I dealt with everything in this relationship privately and respectfully, even when it wasn’t easy,” she shared via Instagram Stories. “This situation is painful and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I don’t want it to escalate further and I want it to be over. I have said what was necessary in response to his behavior and I plan to take the time to process it and move on.”