Fake airline heiress, 72, scammed nearly $30 million from banks

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Fake airline heiress, 72, scammed nearly million from banks — Fake airline heiress 72 scammed nearly 30 million from banks.jpg

Alleged Scam by 72-Year-Old Woman Posed as Heiress to Swindle $30 Million

An intriguing case has come to light involving a 72-year-old woman who has landed on the FBI’s most wanted list for allegedly orchestrating a massive scam. Mary Carole McDonnell, a Michigan native, is accused of posing as an airline heiress to swindle a staggering $30 million from banks and financial institutions in California before fleeing to Dubai, according to federal authorities.

The scheme involved McDonnell falsely claiming to be part of the McDonnell Aircraft dynasty and having access to a secret $80 million trust fund. She managed to secure $14.7 million from the Banc of California under this fabricated identity, followed by an additional $15 million from various other institutions in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Mugshot of a smiling woman with light hair in a black top against a blue background. — Mary Carole McDonnell, 72, is accused of scamming the banks after pedaling false claims that she was part of the McDonnell Aircraft dynasty.

The FBI stated that McDonnell knowingly devised a scheme to obtain money, funds, assets, and property through fraud, which she carried out from July 2017 to May 2018. Despite a federal arrest warrant being issued for her in 2018, McDonnell is believed to have fled to Dubai before facing consequences.

FBI Wanted poster for Mary Carole McDonnell, accused of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. — The 72-year-old, who is on the FBI’s wanted list, allegedly posed as an airline heiress to swindle $30 million from banks and financial institutions in California. – FBI

Prior to her alleged fraudulent activities, McDonnell served as the CEO of Bellum Entertainment, a now-defunct TV production company based in Burbank. The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, the family she claimed to be part of, was a prominent aerospace manufacturer headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Currently wanted on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, McDonnell is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall, approximately 145 pounds, with blond hair, blue eyes, and a scar on her right knee.