Bear Suit Scam Nets Arrests in LA

Three Los Angeles-area residents were sentenced after California investigators said they faked bear attacks on luxury cars with a costume and bogus insurance claims. (abcnews.com) State investigators said Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, Ruben Tamrazian, 26, and Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud. A fourth defendant, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, is due back in court in September. (news.sky.com) Authorities said the group submitted claims tied to a 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost and two Mercedes vehicles, all allegedly damaged near Lake Arrowhead on January 28, 2024. The claimed losses totaled $141,839. (news.sky.com) The case turned on video the suspects sent to insurers. Investigators said the footage was supposed to show a black bear inside the vehicles, clawing seats and doors in the San Bernardino Mountains. (nbclosangeles.com) A California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist reviewed the footage and concluded it was “clearly a human in a bear suit,” according to the California Department of Insurance. Detectives later found the costume while serving a search warrant at a suspect’s home. (nbclosangeles.com) California’s insurance department called the investigation “Operation Bear Claw.” The three defendants were sentenced to 180 days in jail through a weekend program and probation, and two were ordered to pay more than $52,000 in restitution. (news.sky.com) The claim was not implausible on its face because black bears do roam mountain communities east of Los Angeles, including the Lake Arrowhead area. News reports on the case noted that bears in California have broken into homes, trash areas, and backyards in search of food. (abcnews.com) Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said the case ended with the defendants “being held accountable” and said insurance fraud raises costs for consumers. The scam started with a fake bear and ended with jail time, probation, and restitution orders. (news.sky.com)