In a strange and elaborate scheme, a group of friends in California attempted to deceive insurance companies by staging vehicle damage and filing false claims—using a bear costume as part of their ploy. The California Department of Insurance revealed that the suspects had filmed one of their members, dressed as a bear, pretending to vandalize luxury cars, then submitted the footage as evidence to support their claims. Their plan unraveled, however, leading to the arrest of Ruben Tamrazian, Ararat Chirkinian, Vahe Muradkhanyan, and Alfiya Zuckerman on charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy.
The scheme centered around an unusual claim: the suspects reported that a wild bear had entered their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost, causing extensive damage to the interior. However, investigators became suspicious after reviewing the submitted video footage and noticing that the “bear” appeared noticeably human. The department’s probe deepened when they discovered similar claims on the same date for other high-end vehicles, including a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350.
I’m crying 🤣🤣🤣
Four people were charged with insurance fraud after dressing up as a bear, damaging their own vehicles, and filing claims. The submitted footage and photos show the “bear” entering the vehicle and causing scratches to the seats and doors. pic.twitter.com/k1SznlxkUj
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) November 14, 2024
In each case, the video evidence provided showed the same “bear” damaging different vehicles. Recognizing inconsistencies, investigators consulted a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who confirmed that the supposed bear was, in fact, a person wearing a costume.
Armed with the biologist’s assessment, officials executed a search at one of the suspects’ homes, where they located the bear costume used in the fraudulent claims. A social media post from the Department of Insurance humorously labeled the case “Operation Bear Claw,” summarizing the plot: “Four arrested after videos show fake bear attacks for insurance payouts.”
The failed scheme resulted in an attempted loss to insurance companies totaling $141,839. The suspects now face legal consequences for their unusual—and unsuccessful—attempt at insurance fraud.
