California Banks Targeted by $30 Million Heiress Scam

Mary Carole McDonnell, a 73-year-old woman, is wanted for allegedly scamming nearly $30 million from banks and institutions in Los Angeles and Orange counties, according to the FBI. Between July 2017 and May 2018, McDonnell falsely claimed to be the heir to the McDonnell aircraft family and stated she would have access to an $80 million secret trust fund.

The FBI reports that she fraudulently obtained approximately $14.7 million from the Banc of California, with total losses exceeding $15 million from other institutions. A federal arrest warrant was issued for McDonnell on December 12, 2018, in the U.S.

District Court Central District of California in Santa Ana, charging her with aggravated identity theft and bank fraud. Authorities believe she is currently in Dubai. McDonnell has ties to Michigan and Montgomery, Alabama, and is described as having blond hair, weighing 145 pounds, with a scar on her right knee.

She also served as the CEO of Bellum Entertainment LLC, a production company based in Burbank, which created television series such as I Married a Murderer and It Takes a Killer. This case raises significant concerns about identity theft and the vulnerabilities in banking security and fraud detection.