California state investigators have arrested four people for allegedly committing insurance fraud by claiming a bear damaged their vehicles—when, in fact, the damage was reportedly caused by someone in a bear costume. The suspects, identified as Ruben Tamrazian (26), Ararat Chirkinian (39), Vahe Muradkhanyan (32), and Alfiya Zuckerman (39), all from the Los Angeles area, face charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy, the California Department of Insurance announced.
The investigation began earlier this year after an insurance company flagged a suspicious claim. The suspects had reported that a bear entered their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost in Lake Arrowhead, a community in the San Bernardino Mountains, on January 28, causing extensive interior damage. To support their claim, they submitted video evidence supposedly showing “the bear” inside the car. However, upon closer inspection, investigators concluded that the “bear” was a person in a costume.
The investigation revealed two additional claims with other insurance companies for incidents reported on the same day and in the same location. In these cases, the suspects filed claims for damage to two other vehicles, a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350, again allegedly caused by a bear. Video footage provided to the insurance companies appeared to show a bear entering the vehicles.
To confirm the bear’s identity, a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife analyzed the videos and concluded that it was “clearly a human in a bear suit.” Detectives later obtained a search warrant, and during a search of the suspects’ home, they discovered a bear costume.
All four suspects were arrested on Wednesday. According to the Department of Insurance, their fraudulent activities cost the insurance companies nearly $142,000. The Glendale Police Department and California Highway Patrol assisted in the investigation, and the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution.
Jail records in San Bernardino County did not list the suspects’ court dates, and it’s unclear if they have obtained legal representation at this time.
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