A bizarre case involving staged bear attacks, insurance fraud, and a bear costume has led to the arrest of four Los Angeles County residents.

Authorities say four scammers have been arrested for allegedly staging bear attacks with a costume to secure car insurance payouts.

The alleged scheme, known as “Operation Bear Claw,” involved a group of individuals who reportedly dressed in a costume to simulate wildlife damage to their luxury vehicles, hoping to receive large payouts from their insurance providers.

Investigators discovered that three of the four suspects filed similar claims, alleging a bear had damaged their car interiors in Lake Arrowhead, a mountain community in San Bernardino County, according to a California Department of Insurance release.

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The California Department of Insurance (CDI) initiated the investigation after receiving a tip from an insurance provider, who found multiple claims suspiciously similar and all linked to a single location. According to a CDI statement, three of the four suspects filed claims stating a bear had broken into their cars and caused extensive damage to the interiors on January 28, 2024. Each claimant provided video footage of a supposed bear damaging the interior of their vehicles in Lake Arrowhead, a mountain community in San Bernardino County. However, “upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume,” the CDI stated.

Experts weigh in: Biologist confirms fraud

To ensure their suspicions were accurate, investigators sought the expertise of a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. After reviewing the footage, the biologist confirmed that the “bear” in the videos was indeed a human in costume, describing it as “clearly a human in a bear suit.” Photos provided by insurance investigators showed only superficial scratches on the vehicles’ seats and door panels, inconsistent with the type of damage a real bear would inflict.

Luxury vehicles and big payouts: The extent of the fraud

The claims, which totaled an estimated $141,839, involved luxury vehicles: a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost, a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG, and a 2022 Mercedes E350. CDI officials stated that each of the vehicles was used to submit fraudulent claims, with the suspects attempting to defraud insurance companies by claiming reimbursement for the supposed attacks.

Arrests and charges

The suspects, identified as Glendale residents Ruben Tamrazian, 26; Ararat Chirkinian, 39; Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32; and Valley Village resident Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, were arrested with the assistance of Glendale Police and the California Highway Patrol. Each faces charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy.

As Operation Bear Claw unfolds, CDI has issued a reminder of the severe consequences of insurance fraud and expressed gratitude to the collaborative law enforcement effort that led to the arrests.