California insurance department investigation uncovers ‘bear’ insurance fraud
A bizarre insurance fraud scheme involving a bear costume, luxury vehicles, and falsified damage claims has now ended in convictions for three Los Angeles-area residents following a California Department of Insurance (CDI) investigation dubbed “Operation Bear Claw.”
CDI investigators determined that four defendants used a person in a bear suit to stage fake attacks on high-end vehicles, then submitted fraudulent claims seeking payouts from insurance companies, according to a CDI press release.
The investigation began after an insurance company flagged a suspicious claim tied to a Jan. 28, 2024, incident in Lake Arrowhead. The suspects claimed a bear entered their 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost and caused interior damage, submitting video footage to support the claim.
After further review, CDI detectives determined the “bear” in the video was a person wearing a bear costume, the release states. Investigators later uncovered two additional fraudulent claims submitted to separate insurance companies on the same date and at the same location, tied to a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350.
A biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reviewed the footage and concluded the animal shown was clearly a human in a bear suit, the release states. Detectives later executed a search warrant and recovered the costume from the suspects’ home.
The total loss to the insurance companies was $141,839.
CDI shared a video compilation of the “bear” entering the vehicles for which the insurance claims were made, photos of the damage, and a photo of the costume in November 2024.
“What may have looked unbelievable turned out to be exactly that, and now those responsible are being held accountable,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara in the release. “My department’s investigators uncovered the facts, exposed this scam, and helped bring these defendants to justice. Insurance fraud is a serious crime that drives up costs for consumers, and no scheme is too outrageous for us to investigate.”
Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, of Valley Village, pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud (injuring or destroying insured property). She was sentenced to 180 days in jail to be served through a weekend jail program, two years of supervised probation, and ordered to pay $55,360 in restitution.
Ruben Tamrazian, 26, of Glendale, pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud and was sentenced to 180 days in jail to be served through a weekend jail program, two years of supervised probation, and ordered to pay $52,268 in restitution.
Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, of Glendale, pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud (presenting a false insurance claim). He was sentenced to 180 days in jail to be served through a weekend jail program, two years of supervised probation, and ordered to pay a yet-to-be-determined amount in restitution.
A fourth defendant, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, of Glendale, is scheduled to return to court in September for a preliminary hearing.
The Glendale Police Department and the California Highway Patrol assisted the CDI with the investigation. The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
Images
Featured image of the bear costume discovered during CDI’s Operation Bear Claw. (Provided by the California Department of Insurance)