Former Bellum Entertainment CEO Mary Carole McDonnell Added to FBI’s New Most-Wanted Fraudsters List

Mary Carole McDonnell, the 75-year-old former chief executive of the defunct Bellum Entertainment, has been listed on the FBI’s Most-Wanted Fraudsters roster. The agency alleges she orchestrated a scheme that defrauded California banks of tens of millions of dollars between 2017 and 2018 while falsely claiming to be an heir to the historic McDonnell aircraft family. A $150,000 reward is offered for information leading to her arrest. The listing was announced on October 15, 2026.

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Bellum Entertainment, founded in 2004 as LongNeedle Entertainment, produced true-crime television series such as *Bizarre Murders* and *I Married a Murderer*. By 2016 the company faced multiple wage-complaint lawsuits and creditor claims exceeding $1 million. In late 2017, while the firm struggled financially, McDonnell approached Banc of California for a $15 million loan, later alleged to have been siphoned for personal use. The company ceased operations in 2017 and was under investigation by the California Labor Commission for unpaid workers, including former law-enforcement experts who appeared on its shows.

Deadline Hollywood

• Alleged fraud amount from Banc of California: $14.7 million (FBI).

LADbible

• Total estimated losses to other financial institutions: over $15 million (multiple sources).

NBC Los Angeles

• Some reports cite a broader scheme totaling $29–$30 million.

LADbible

• McDonnell purportedly claimed an $80 million secret trust tied to the McDonnell aircraft family.

NBC Los Angeles

• The FBI’s Most-Wanted Fraudsters list, launched on June 4, 2026, currently contains 13 individuals.

The Independent

• Reward for information: $150,000.

Rolling Stone

The FBI also noted that McDonnell’s federal arrest warrant was issued on December 12, 2018 after she was charged with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

LADbible

Sources differ on the total monetary impact of McDonnell’s alleged scheme. Deadline reports a loss of “more than $29 million,” while Rolling Stone and NBC Los Angeles cite “over $15 million” and a specific $14.7 million taken from Banc of California. No source provides a definitive, court-verified total, leaving the precise scale of the fraud unresolved.

NBC Los Angeles

• “He laughed and said, ‘No … I wish there were, but there’s no connection,’” — Thomas Carroll, former husband

Rolling Stone

• “She brought us those pies for some nefarious reason,” — Podcaster Jami Rice, former Banc of California employee

Rolling Stone

• “She used to cry a lot, saying that her sons don’t speak to her and that they don’t even call her on her birthday,” — Thili Brady, business associate

Rolling Stone

• “Most Wanted Fraudster Mary McDonnell is wanted for defrauding financial institutions out of millions and is known to have falsified her inheritance and background,” — Patrick Grandy, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI Los Angeles Field Office

NBC Los Angeles

The FBI continues to solicit tips from the public, directing leads to regional offices, U.S. embassies, or the agency’s online portal. The $150,000 reward remains available until the case is resolved.

The Independent