Three individuals from Southern California have been handed jail sentences for their involvement in an unusual insurance fraud plot that prosecutors say entailed staging fictitious bear attacks on luxury vehicles.
The scheme was uncovered after the suspects filed a claim with their insurer, alleging that a bear had entered their 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost at Lake Arrowhead on January 28, 2024, causing interior damage marked by scratches. The California Department of Insurance reported that the suspects supported their claim with a video allegedly showing the “bear” inside the car.
However, an investigation nicknamed “Operation Bear Claw” revealed that the supposed bear in the video was actually a person dressed in a bear costume. The insurance department’s findings were corroborated by biologists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who confirmed that the footage unmistakably depicted a human masquerading as a bear.
The investigation also uncovered two additional fraudulent claims made to different insurance companies referencing the same alleged incident.
On Thursday, Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, from Valley Village, along with Ruben Tamrazian, 26, and Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, both from Glendale, were sentenced to 180 days in jail and ordered to pay restitution.
Another individual, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, from Glendale, is still awaiting the outcome of their case.
Officials say the total cost to the insurance companies was $141,839.
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