Four people have been arrested in Los Angeles after they allegedly committed insurance fraud by claiming their luxury cars were damaged by a bear, when it was actually a person in a bear costume. Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, were all charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy. California ’s Department of Insurance said that in January, the group claimed a bear damaged their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost and caused interior damage to the vehicle.
Volunteer firefighter charged with setting brush fire on New York's Long Island CIA official charged with leaking Israel's plans to strike Iran They provided video footage to their insurance company, which showed a bear in the car. An investigation began after their insurance company suspected fraud. The Department found that the bear in the video was actually a person in a bear costume.
Detectives found two additional insurance claims with two different insurance companies, for the suspects with the same date of loss and at the same location. Those claims involved a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350. Investigators said the group again appeared to use a bear costume to make it appear that a bear entered and damaged the cars.
They provided the video footage to the other insurance companies to try to substantiate their claims. The Department said a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reviewed the three videos provided to the insurance comp.
