FBI Adds Fake Aerospace Heiress to Most Wanted List for $30 Million Bank Fraud
Mary Carole McDonnell, 74, has been placed on the FBI's Most Wanted list for allegedly defrauding banks out of nearly $30 million. McDonnell is accused of posing as an heir to the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation, a former aerospace giant, to secure funds from financial institutions. The alleged fraud took place between July 2017 and May 2018 in Los Angeles and Orange counties. McDonnell reportedly claimed she would soon access a secret $80 million trust, convincing banks like the Banc of California to lend her money. The FBI states that McDonnell knowingly participated in a scheme to obtain money and assets under false pretenses. A federal arrest warrant was issued for her in December 2018, charging her with Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. McDonnell, who has ties to Los Angeles, Montgomery, Alabama, and the United Arab Emirates, is believed to be residing in Dubai.