Khaberni - In a strange and controversial incident, a 70-year-old American woman carried out one of the boldest financial frauds in the United States, claiming to be the heiress to a wealthy family in California and embezzling about $30 million before disappearing from view.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) continues to pursue Mary Carol McDonnel (73 years old), on charges including bank fraud and identity theft, stemming from a scheme she executed between July 2017 and May 2018 in Los Angeles and Orange counties.
In a recent announcement, law enforcement authorities asked anyone with information to contact the FBI offices or the nearest U.S. embassies and consulates around the world, as well as the possibility of submitting anonymous reports via the FBI's online site, according to People magazine.
Fraud Operation Details
According to the FBI, McDonnel introduced herself as the "heiress to the McDonnel Aircraft family" and claimed she was about to receive a secret trust fund worth $80 million.
This fabricated story convinced the Bank of California and other financial institutions, enabling her to obtain loans and large amounts totaling $14.7 million from the bank alone, in addition to more than $15 million from other banks using the same method.
FBI records indicate that McDonnel, described as a blonde woman, approximately 170 cm tall and weighing about 65 kilograms, previously worked as an executive director for the television production company Bellum Entertainment LLC.
The former company was the producer of popular programs including "I Married a Murderer", and "It Takes a Killer", and had previously faced investigations due to complaints related to non-payment of workers' wages.
The search continues
Despite a federal arrest warrant issued against her in December 2018, McDonnel has since disappeared, and the search for her continues.
McDonnel's story remains a focal point of wide interest in the United States, not only because of the large amounts she embezzled but because it is a glaring example of a professional con artist's ability to deceive major financial institutions using a well-crafted lie.
