PREVIEW

Four people in Los Angeles have been arrested for allegedly orchestrating a scam involving a bear costume to stage fake attacks and collect insurance payouts.

Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, face charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy for reportedly defrauding insurance companies of $141,839, according to the California Department of Insurance (CDI).

The scheme allegedly included dressing as a bear and vandalising three vehicles before filing claims with separate insurance providers.

The investigation began after a claim was filed on January 28, 2024, in Lake Arrowhead. The suspects reported that a bear had entered a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost, damaging its interior. They submitted video footage of the supposed bear, along with photos showing scratch marks on seats and doors.

In the footage, a person in a bear costume is allegedly visible inside the vehicle. Investigators later determined the "bear" was actually a disguised human. They then discovered two additional claims filed with other companies for a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350, all involving the same suspects, location, and date.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife enlisted a biologist to review the evidence, who confirmed the bear was fake. “It was clearly a human in a bear suit,” the CDI stated.

Authorities later found a bear costume during a search of one suspect’s home.