Four California Residents Arrested After Faking a Bear Attack for Insurance Payout

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-11-15 18:31:41 | Updated at 2024-11-23 11:47:34 1 week ago

Four California Residents Arrested After Faking a Bear Attack for Insurance Payout
KSBW ^ | Nov 13, 2024

Posted on 11/15/2024 10:20:12 AM PST by nickcarraway

"Upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume," a news release states.

Four Los Angeles residents were arrested for an insurance fraud scheme after they claimed a bear damaged their vehicles—but video showed it was a person in a bear costume.

The California Department of Insurance said the four men claimed a bear entered their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost and damaged the interior while at Lake Arrowhead on Jan. 28. They provided surveillance footage to their insurance company as proof.

But the video proved their story false.

"Upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume," the Department of Insurance said in a news release.

The suspects also allegedly filed two additional insurance claims with two different insurance companies for the same date and location, but for two different vehicles.

All three claims included video footage that appeared to show a person in a bear costume enter a vehicle to damage it, officials said.

The Department of Insurance said to further ensure it was not a bear, a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reviewed the videos. The biologist was also of the opinion that it was a person in a bear suit.

Authorities executed a search warrant and also found a bear costume in the suspects' home.

Officials said the insurance companies were defrauded of $141,839 because of the alleged fraud.

All four suspects, identified as 26-year-old Ruben Tamrazian, 39-year-old Ararat Chirkinian, 32-year-old Vahe Muradkhanyan and 39-year-old Alfiya Zuckerman, were charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy.

TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: bear; fraud; insurance

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1 posted on 11/15/2024 10:20:12 AM PST by nickcarraway

To: nickcarraway

I am not going to say a word.

2 posted on 11/15/2024 10:22:08 AM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)

To: Harmless Teddy Bear

3 posted on 11/15/2024 10:23:25 AM PST by RummyChick

To: RummyChick

Look exactly like I imagined.

We really need a closed door policy.

4 posted on 11/15/2024 10:24:23 AM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)

To: RummyChick

What’s Sylvester Stallone doing mixed up in this?

5 posted on 11/15/2024 10:24:31 AM PST by WeaslesRippedMyFlesh (I have zero tolerance and zero empathy for the left)

To: nickcarraway

This guy was trying to protect his truck from the bear.

To: WeaslesRippedMyFlesh

Tell me the guy in the upper left corner was the bear without telling me he was the bear.

7 posted on 11/15/2024 10:27:31 AM PST by ponygirl (Stay gold.)

To: Harmless Teddy Bear

They probably thought any country stupid enough to let THEM in would fall for this hook, line and sinker.

8 posted on 11/15/2024 10:28:12 AM PST by Sarcazmo (I live by the Golden Rule. As applied by others; I'm not selfish.)

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