The Federal Bureau of Investigation has set its sights on a woman from Michigan, accused of masterminding a significant fraud operation in Southern California. The search is on for 73-year-old Mary Carole McDonnell, who is facing serious charges, including bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. These charges stem from an alleged scheme she reportedly executed in Los Angeles and Orange counties over a ten-month period from July 2017 to May 2018.

According to the FBI, McDonnell orchestrated a sophisticated plan intended to deceive and extract financial resources from the Banc of California. The bureau outlines that she knowingly engaged in activities designed to unlawfully acquire money, funds, assets, and property belonging to the bank during this timeframe.

Adding a layer of intrigue to the case, federal agents reveal that McDonnell falsely presented herself as an heir to the McDonnell Aircraft family. She allegedly fabricated a story about being on the verge of accessing an $80 million secret trust, a claim intended to bolster her fraudulent activities.

As the FBI intensifies its efforts to locate McDonnell, the breadth of her alleged financial deception continues to unfold, capturing the attention of both law enforcement and the public.

Federal investigators say McDonnell posed as an heir to the McDonnell Aircraft family and falsely claimed she would eventually gain access to an $80 million secret trust.

She was able to obtain approximately $14.7 million from Banc of California although she knew she was not authorized and did not repay it.

She used similar methods to defraud other financial institutions of more than $15 million, according to the FBI.

She previously served as the CEO of Bellum Entertainment LLC, a Burbank-based production company, and has documented ties to Los Angeles, Montgomery, Alabama, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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

A report by Deadline cites that Bellum Entertainment came under investigation by the California Labor Commission in 2017 for the alleged nonpayment of wages to dozens of former employees.

Dubai, Burj Khalifa, United Arab Emirates, Sunset, Cityscape

The outlet also reported that McDonnell told employees the company couldn’t meet payroll because of “significant bank fraud.”

Investigators say they believe that McDonnell is currently in Dubai and describe her as a White female, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 145 pounds, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a scar on her right knee.

Anyone with information on McDonnell’s whereabouts is urged to contact their local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate.