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FBI offers $150K reward for arrest of 75-year-old woman wanted in $30M scam

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Cite

Scott, K. (2026, October 16). FBI offers $150K reward for arrest of 75-year-old woman wanted in $30M scam. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/12105511/mary-carole-mcdonnell-added-fbi-most-wanted-fraudsters-list-reward/

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Global News · collected 2026-10-16 · by Katie Scott

Quick Summary

The FBI has placed 75-year-old Mary Carole McDonnell on its Most Wanted Fraudsters List for allegedly defrauding banks and financial institutions of nearly $30 million from July 2017 to May 2018 in California. The bureau is offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to her arrest. McDonnell falsely claimed to be an heiress to the McDonnell Aircraft family trust and obtained $14.7 million from Banc of California alone; she is also accused of swindling other institutions for over $15 million more. Authorities believe McDonnell may currently be in Dubai, posing under various aliases.
Written by AI on 2026-10-16, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

As of October 2026, Mary Carole McDonnell, a 75-year-old woman, has been added to the FBI's Most Wanted Fraudsters list for allegedly defrauding banks out of more than $30 million over a year-long period starting in July 2017 and ending in May 2018. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to her arrest and conviction. McDonnell falsely claimed to be an heiress to the McDonnell Aircraft family with access to an $80 million secret trust, which she used to fraudulently obtain about $14.7 million from a single bank and additional funds from other financial institutions. A federal warrant was issued for her arrest in December 2018, and it is believed that McDonnell is currently residing in Dubai.

Written for “FBI Most Wanted Scammers Reward” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 FBI Most Wanted Scammers Reward
Crime & Law · 2 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 18% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
The Independent
Hedges 4 of 18 claims Outlet record 59/100
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
17
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
18%
3 of 17 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
63/100
Global News's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
2
Crime & Law
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-16 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Global News · 2747 article(s) · 12 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 12 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Katie Scott
68 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
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Also by Katie Scott
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 68 articles by Katie Scott →

Topics

Calif. Dubai FBI Los Angeles the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s

Subjects

McDonnell PERSON · 11× FBI ORG · 7× Calif. GPE · 2× Dubai GPE · 2× Los Angeles GPE · 2× California GPE · 1× Los Angeles County GPE · 1× Mary Carole McDonnell PERSON · 1× Orange County GPE · 1× the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s ORG · 1×

Narrative

“Most Wanted Fraudster Mary McDonnell is wanted for defrauding financial institutions out of millions and is known to have falsified her inheritance and background,” said Patrick Grandy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-16
🔮 Mary Carole McDonnell is wanted for her alleged involvement in the fraud scheme in Los Angeles County and Orange County in California, which began in approximately July of 2017 and continued to May of 2018, according to a news release from the FBI.

Claims (17 extracted, 3 hedged)

A 75-year-old woman has been added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted Fraudsters List after being accused of defrauding nearly $30 million from banks and other financial institutions in a year-long scheme while posing as a fake heiress. asserted
woman → add → heiress
Mary Carole McDonnell is wanted for her alleged involvement in the fraud scheme in Los Angeles County and Orange County in California, which began in approximately July of 2017 and continued to May of 2018, according to a news release from the FBI. uncertain
which → want → FBI
McDonnell was added to the FBI’s newly formed Most Wanted Fraudsters list on Wednesday and the agency is offering a reward of up to $150,000 in exchange for information that leads to her arrest and conviction. asserted
that → add → arrest
It’s alleged that McDonnell falsely claimed to be an heir to the McDonnell Aircraft family, with an $80-million secret trust to which she claimed she’d have access. asserted
she → allege → access
“McDonnell is alleged to have knowingly, and with the intent to defraud, devised and participated in a scheme to obtain money, funds, assets and property owned by Banc of California,” the FBI said. asserted
FBI → allege → California
Through the scheme, McDonnell allegedly and fraudulently obtained a total of $14.7 million from the bank “to which she knew she was not entitled and has not paid back,” according to the FBI. uncertain
she → obtain → FBI
It is also alleged that McDonnell, who is believed to currently be in Dubai, swindled additional financial institutions, with an estimated loss of over $15 million. asserted
who → allege → million
A federal arrest warrant was issued for McDonnell in the United States District Court, Central District of California in Santa Ana, Calif., in December 2018, after she was charged with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. asserted
she → issue → fraud
“Most Wanted Fraudster Mary McDonnell is wanted for defrauding financial institutions out of millions and is known to have falsified her inheritance and background,” said Patrick Grandy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. asserted
Grandy → want → Office
“It’s just a matter of time before McDonnell is caught as we work with our international partners to locate her. asserted
we → catch → her
A generous reward is being offered in exchange for information leading to her apprehension and conviction, and a tip from the public might break the case uncertain
tip → offer → case
,” Grandy added. asserted
Grandy → add → ?
McDonnell’s last known occupation was CEO and founder of the now-defunct Bellum Entertainment, a Burbank-based television production and distribution company. asserted
occupation → know → Entertainment
She is described as five feet, seven inches tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. asserted
She → describe → hair
The FBI said that McDonnell has ties to Los Angeles, Calif., Montgomery, Ala. and Dubai, UAE. asserted
McDonnell → say → Angeles
McDonnell also goes by many aliases, including Mary Carole Carroll, Mary Carol McDonnell, Mary Carroll McDonnell, Mary C. Carroll and Mary Carroll McDonald, officials said. asserted
officials → go → Carroll
Authorities urge anyone with information regarding McDonnell to call local FBI offices, the nearest American embassy or submit anonymous tips online. asserted
Authorities → urge → tips
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