Four residents from the Los Angeles area were arrested this week after an investigation by the California Department of Insurance revealed that they allegedly used a life-sized bear costume to stage attacks on their vehicles in an attempt to secure a six-figure payout.
The suspects — Ruben Tamrazian, 26; Ararat Chirkinian, 39; Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32; and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39— have been charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy, according to an announcement made by the department on Wednesday. Their alleged scam cost three insurance companies a total of $141,839.
"Operation Bear Claw" began earlier this year after one of their claims gave an insurance company pause (or should we say, paws).
In January, the suspects claimed that a bear had entered their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost and caused interior damage while it was parked in Lake Arrowhead, a region in the San Bernardino Mountains known for its large black bear population.
The suspects provided video footage of the alleged incident to their unnamed insurance company, which the department has since posted online. The video shows a furry figure entering through the side door, climbing around the backseat and crawling out, leaving scratch marks on the leather seats and door.
"Upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume," officials said.
Detectives found two more claims involving the same suspects, from the same date and location, but involving different cars: a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350.
The suspects also provided video footage of these alleged incidents, which followed a similar pattern to the first. But suspicious authorities didn't rely solely on their animal instincts; They took additional steps to sniff out the truth.
"The Department had a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife review the three alleged bear videos and they also opined it was clearly a human in a bear suit," it said.
Detectives executed a search warrant and found the bear costume — complete with a furry snouted head, paws and metal tools in the shape of claws — in the suspects' home.
The fur of the costume is a light brown color. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says black bears are the only wild bears in the state, although they can be found in various shades including brown and tan. (California grizzly bears became extinct in the 1920s, except for the one depicted on the state flag.)
The insurance department says the Glendale Police Department and the California Highway Patrol helped investigate the case, which has been referred to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office for prosecution.
The district attorney's office informed NPR via email on Thursday that the case is currently under review for a filing determination — essentially, the decision to charge suspects with a crime. Once that decision is made, court dates and appearances will be scheduled.
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