Four California Scammers Used One Fake Bear Costume That Backfired Spectacularly

Some people will try anything to make a quick buck these days.

But four California residents learned that insurance companies aren’t as gullible as they hoped.

And their elaborate bear costume scheme backfired in the most embarrassing way possible.

"Bear Attack" Fooled No One

It seemed like a routine insurance claim at first glance.

On January 28, 2024, suspects claimed a bear had entered their 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost while parked in Lake Arrowhead, California, causing interior damage.¹

They even provided security camera footage showing what appeared to be a furry creature rooting around inside the vehicle.

But insurance investigators started getting suspicious when they took a closer look at the evidence.

The "bear" in the video moved nothing like an actual bear would.

Wildlife Expert Exposes the Truth

The insurance company decided to bring in a professional – a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.²

The expert’s conclusion was swift and brutal.

The "bear" was "clearly a human in a bear suit."

What the scammers thought was a foolproof plan fell apart under the first bit of real scrutiny.

Operation Bear Claw Catches the Culprits

Investigators dubbed their case "Operation Bear Claw" and quickly tracked down the suspects.³

Ruben Tamrazian, 26, of Glendale; Ararat Chirkinian, 39, of Glendale; Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, of Glendale; and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, of Valley Village were arrested for the elaborate fraud scheme.

During searches of their homes, officials found the smoking gun – a bear suit and metal claws used to create the fake damage.

The conspirators had actually filed three separate claims involving the same bear costume scheme.

After the initial Rolls-Royce claim, they filed two additional claims for damage to a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350, again using the same bear costume routine.⁴

The four conspirators had managed to collect $141,839 in fraudulent payouts before getting caught.⁵

Each defendant now faces charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy.

The Video That Gave Them Away

Anyone watching the security footage could tell something was off about this "bear."

The pawing motions looked unnatural and the way it climbed into the vehicles screamed amateur hour.

Real bears tear cars apart when they get inside looking for food.

These luxury vehicles had some scratches that looked more like they came from a hardware store than a wild animal.

Compare that to actual bear damage – when these animals get into cars, they don’t politely scratch the seats and leave.

They rip interiors to shreds, destroy door panels, and leave vehicles looking like they went through a blender.

Creative But Completely Obvious

You have to admire the creativity of trying to pull off insurance fraud with a bear costume.

But the execution was so poor it’s almost insulting to the intelligence of everyone involved.

The defendants clearly didn’t bother researching what real bear attacks on vehicles actually look like.

They also picked some of the most expensive cars possible to target, which naturally drew more scrutiny from insurance companies.

A Rolls-Royce getting attacked by a bear? That’s going to get a second look from investigators every single time.

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California’s Latest Fraud Scheme

This case shows how far some people will go to try and beat the system.

Insurance fraud costs everyone higher premiums and wastes resources that could be used for legitimate claims.

The four defendants thought they could outsmart professional investigators with a costume scheme targeting luxury vehicles in a mountain community known for its black bear population.

Instead, they’re now facing serious criminal charges that could result in jail time and hefty fines.

The case has been referred to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.⁶

Sometimes the simplest crimes are the easiest to solve – especially when the "evidence" is this obviously fake.

¹ California Department of Insurance, "Four Los Angeles area residents were arrested today after a Department of Insurance investigation," November 13, 2024.

² Ibid.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ Ibid.