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Heiress Scammer Vanishes with $15 Million Pies
11 Aug
Summary
- A wealthy heiress used homemade pies to charm bank staff before defrauding them.
- She secured a $15 million loan, which she then rapidly withdrew.
- The FBI is now searching for the fugitive heiress, who vanished with the funds.
In 2018, Mary Carole McDonnell, an heiress and true-crime producer, presented herself at Banc of California with homemade pies, charming staff before securing a $15 million loan. Just six weeks later, she had withdrawn nearly the entire sum and vanished, leaving the bank defrauded.
The FBI has since placed the now 74-year-old on its Most Wanted list, accusing her of defrauding multiple institutions of around $30 million. Her alleged scams extended to forging her sons' signatures for payday loans and stiffing employees and freelance workers.
Investigations revealed McDonnell's history was riddled with half-truths and deceptions, including a fabricated story about her sister's murder. Authorities, including the FBI and banking institutions, continue to hunt for her, aiming to recover losses and bring her to justice.
McDonnell's past includes building a successful true-crime production company, Bellum Entertainment, which ultimately faced numerous wage claims and complaints from unpaid workers, totaling an estimated $4 million.
After fleeing the U.S. in 2018, McDonnell was later located in Dubai. She and her husband, Jeffrey Nilles, were involved in a civil lawsuit there, where McDonnell allegedly attempted to use a real estate agent to withdraw funds on their behalf.
Despite ongoing investigations and her placement on the FBI's Most Wanted list in December 2025, McDonnell's current whereabouts remain uncertain, with rumors suggesting she may have fled to Switzerland or the Czech Republic.
