Bear Seen on Video Entering, Damaging Vehicles Was Actually Person in Costume, Authorities Say
Photo: Stock Image
LOS ANGELES, CA — Four individuals from Los Angeles have reportedly been arrested in connection with an alleged insurance fraud scheme in which they claimed that a bear had caused damage to their vehicles.
In fact, it was a person in a bear costume, authorities said.
In a press release, the California Department of Insurance announced the arrests of Ruben Tamrazian, 26; Ararat Chirkinian, 39; Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32; and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, who all face charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy.
In January, the suspects claimed that a bear had entered their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost in Lake Arrowhead and caused interior damage. They provided video footage to the insurance company that showed the alleged incident.
Upon further scrutiny of the video, investigators determined the “bear” was actually a person in a costume. Investigators also discovered that the same individuals had filed two other claims with two other insurance companies with the same date of loss at the same location, authorities said.
The latter claims reportedly involved the same two vehicles — a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350. The suspects again provided footage which appeared to show a person in a bear costume entering and damaging the vehicles.
Investigators with the Department of Insurance also consulted a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who reviewed the three videos and also concluded that it was clearly a human in a bear costume.
Detectives later carried out a search warrant at the suspects’ home and found the bear costume, authorities said.
Authorities allege that the suspects defrauded the insurance companies of a total of over $140,000.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
