A 73-year-old American woman, Mary Carole McDonnell, is on the run after allegedly scamming nearly $30 million from banks and other institutions, the FBI announced.
McDonnell is wanted for her alleged involvement in a fraud scheme in Los Angeles and Orange counties, California, between July 2017 and May 2018. Authorities say she falsely claimed to be an heir to the McDonnell Aircraft family and to have access to an $80 million secret trust.
The FBI alleges McDonnell “knowingly, and with intent to defraud, devised and participated in a scheme to obtain money, funds, assets, and property” from Banc of California, fraudulently securing around $14.7 million. She is also accused of defrauding other financial institutions of more than $15 million.
McDonnell is described as a 5’7” blonde woman, weighing 145 pounds, with a scar on her right knee. She previously served as CEO of the now-defunct Bellum Entertainment LLC, which produced shows such as I Married a Murderer and It Takes a Killer, and was previously investigated for alleged wage violations.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for McDonnell in U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Santa Ana, California, on Dec. 12, 2018, after she was charged with Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, according to the FBI.
