The Dakota Scout

The Dakota Scout

BEEF HEIST: South Dakota cattleman accuses Missouri man of stealing wagyu cattle in fraud case

Beresford livestock producer stiffed after delivering Japanese breed and beef to processor, lawsuit alleges

Jonathan Ellis's avatar
Jonathan Ellis
Dec 14, 2025
∙ Paid

An eastern South Dakota cattle producer is accusing a Missouri man and his companies of swindling him out of millions of dollars worth of livestock and high-end beef.

Joseph Schumacher, who runs Schumacher Farms Cattle Co. out of his Beresford-area property, has filed a lawsuit against Brian Lillie, Best Beef Ventures and Best Beef Holdings, alleging Lillie failed to make good on a deal for livestock and beef. A Massachusetts financing company, Colombo Capital US, is named as a defendant in the fraud case.

Schumacher raises Wagyu beef, harvested from a Japanese beef cattle breed known for high marbling. While Wagyu beef originated across the Pacific, its tenderness and flavor have driven worldwide demand.

The Lounge

Brookings grad bringing world’s longest sonata to life in return to South Dakota

Virginia Olson
·
December 13, 2025
Brookings grad bringing world’s longest sonata to life in return to South Dakota

If you think your to-do list is long, try Tellef Johnson’s.

Read full story
User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of The Dakota Scout.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 The Dakota Scout · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture