FBI Hunts Woman Accused Of Stealing Nearly $30 Million While Posing Heiress

Federal authorities are searching for a Michigan-born woman accused of carrying out a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme in Southern California while posing as an heir to the McDonnell Aircraft family, as reported by Fox News.

The FBI says 73-year-old Mary Carole McDonnell is wanted on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft tied to alleged crimes committed between July 2017 and May 2018 in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Mary Carole McDonnell is #wanted by the #FBI for her alleged involvement in a fraud scheme in Los Angeles and Orange Counties in California. Beginning in approximately July of 2017, and continuing to May of 2018, McDonnell is alleged to have knowingly, and with the intent to… pic.twitter.com/QCtLnOB2dy

— FBI Most Wanted (@FBIMostWanted) December 5, 2025

According to the FBI, “Beginning in approximately July 2017 and continuing to May of 2018, McDonnell is alleged to have knowingly, and with intent to defraud, devised and participated in a scheme to obtain money, funds, assets, and property owned by Banc of California.”

Investigators say McDonnell falsely claimed she would soon gain access to an $80 million secret trust connected to the McDonnell Aircraft family.

Authorities say she obtained approximately $14.7 million from Banc of California despite having no authorization to do so and failing to repay the funds.

The FBI reports she used similar tactics to defraud other financial institutions of more than $15 million, bringing the total loss attributed to her scheme to nearly $30 million.

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McDonnell previously served as CEO of Bellum Entertainment LLC, a Burbank-based production company. Public records and investigative reports indicate she has documented ties to Los Angeles, Montgomery, Alabama, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

A federal arrest warrant was issued for McDonnell on Dec. 12, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Industry outlet Deadline reported that Bellum Entertainment was investigated by the California Labor Commission in 2017 for alleged nonpayment of wages to dozens of former employees.

According to the report, McDonnell told employees the company could not meet payroll due to “significant bank fraud.”

Investigators believe McDonnell is currently in Dubai. The FBI describes her as a White female, 5 feet 7 inches tall, approximately 145 pounds, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a scar on her right knee.

Authorities are urging anyone with information on McDonnell’s whereabouts to contact their local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate. The investigation remains ongoing.

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