Mary Carole McDonnell, whose production company Bellum Entertainment has received millions in taxpayer funds, is now the target of a federal investigation. The FBI has now added her to its Most Wanted list. In its criminal complaint, the agency has accused McDonnell of federal bank fraud and identity theft. They claim that she defrauded banks out of multimillion-dollar loans by impersonating a German heiress.
The FBI alleges that McDonnell submitted fake documents to lenders. Most disgustingly, she is said to have lied about maintaining an account with $28 million and a trust containing another $80 million. These disingenuous tricks let her get away with obtaining close to $30 million in loans from multiple banks and financial institutions.
In an ironic turn of events, just days ago, McDonnell extended Nigel Bellis just such an opportunity on the other coast, in Los Angeles. Bellis had big bucks financial issues looming over her — $500,000 in back pay, damages and penalties. Bellis’s friend observed that “they like to pay late,” which is to say they’re known for shorting people on cash.
The FBI has already failed to do enough to protect the public. They’re crucially asking the public’s assistance to find and extradite McDonnell. The agency said that more publicity around her case will bring people with information out of the woodwork, and they’re making this push.
Mary Carole McDonnell’s history is replete with claims from a wide range of people and entities. Yet, they have consistently penalized her for doing the exact same bona fide fraud. She had to move back to New Orleans, where she could afford a $750 per month apartment, without her rent-controlled $250 Echo Park home. That same location now charges a mind blowing $2800 in rent. This transformation highlights not only her financial crisis but the impact of her alleged criminal actions.
The suit was filed by Manos against McDonnell in his official capacity. She went on to explain how this felt, saying it was “almost like a knife in the back. This sense of injustice strikes a chord with many who have felt the same sting from McDonnell’s regressive policies over the years.
Completing Barry McDonnell’s former attorney, Barry Rothman, in complicity. He was accused of conspiring with her to submit false documents to banks and lenders. Now that Rothman, who died in 2018, is no longer around to answer questions about his contribution to McDonnell’s alleged heinousness.
The investigation is still unfolding, and more information about McDonnell’s transactions should be coming to light. We’ll learn more about the complete nature of her alleged fraud. The FBI is looking for her right now. Their efforts illuminate the potential of many more victims to appreciate and underscore the important imperative for accountability in such circumstances.