FBI lists former Burbank executive as fugitive in Dubai

The FBI has placed Mary Carole McDonnell on its new Most Wanted Fraudsters list, identifying her as a fugitive believed to be living in Dubai. The agency is offering a $150,000 reward for information leading to her arrest and conviction. McDonnell, 74, was indicted in 2018 by a federal grand jury for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Before her identity became contested, McDonnell presented herself as a wealthy heir to the McDonnell Douglas aerospace empire. She resided in a multimillion-dollar estate in La Cañada Flintridge and operated from an office in Burbank. Her company, Bellum Entertainment, produced true-crime and educational programming, including titles such as “It Takes a Killer” and “Animal Atlas.” She claimed access to an $80 million trust fund to support her business activities.

Federal investigators allege the trust fund was a fabrication. In 2017, McDonnell secured a $15 million loan from Banc of California by listing Bellum Entertainment, property investments, and personal assets as collateral. She valued the entertainment company at $125 million. Court records show she forged bank statements from Northern Trust Corp. and a letter signed by a company employee to verify her funds. She also notarized a bank control agreement without the signatory present.

Within six weeks of the loan approval, McDonnell withdrew nearly the entire amount, according to civil filings. When Banc of California contacted Northern Trust, the firm stated McDonnell did not have an account there. The bank later won a $17 million judgment against her in 2021. A separate lawsuit by Credit Junction Holdings, which alleged a similar $10 million loan scam, was dismissed in 2018.

As civil debts piled up to over $1 million, unpaid workers and vendors began filing complaints. In 2017, staff protested outside the Burbank office holding signs demanding payment. Ted Eccles, an executive producer who worked with McDonnell, noted that she maintained the appearance of a highly successful executive despite the financial turmoil. “She had all the trappings of a super successful entertainment executive,” Eccles said.

One vendor, Aaron Cadieux, was owed $2,000 for work on a documentary. After receiving only a $500 advance, he purchased the domain MaryCaroleMcDonnell.com and built a website for unpaid workers to share their stories. He emailed a link to McDonnell’s secretary with a deadline for payment. McDonnell wired the balance just before the deadline passed. Other vendors, however, did not receive their funds.

McDonnell also solicited investments from industry figures. In 2016, Ted and Carrie Kuhlman invested $2.5 million in a deal promising their principal plus $750,000 in interest within eight months. The funds were supposed to be secured by the McDonnell Family Trust. McDonnell provided a letter stating the trust was worth more than $400 million and was protected by a court order following the death of her sister in 1996. The Kuhlmans won a $4.4 million federal judgment in 2020.

FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Kent said the new list addresses a growing issue of global fraud. “We would welcome her to walk into any U.S. embassy or consulate anywhere in the world and face justice,” Kent said. Repeated attempts to reach McDonnell by phone and email have been unsuccessful.