Additional Coverage:
- 4 arrested in California for allegedly staging bear attacks to receive insurance payouts (newsbreak.com)
Insurance Fraud Scheme Using Fake Bear Attacks
Four individuals in Los Angeles County have been arrested for allegedly faking bear attacks to collect insurance payouts. The scheme involved a group of individuals filing insurance claims after a so-called bear vandalized the interiors of their cars in the Lake Arrowhead mountain community.
Investigators suspected fraud after multiple claims were filed from the same location on the same day. The claimants provided videos of a supposed bear causing damage to their vehicles. However, upon closer examination, the bear was determined to be a person in a costume.
A biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that the videos depicted a human in a bear suit. The fraudulent claims amounted to $141,839, targeting high-value vehicles such as a Rolls Royce, Mercedes G63 AMG, and Mercedes E350.
The suspects, identified as Ruben Tamrazian, Ararat Chirkinian, Vahe Muradkhanyan, and Alfiya Zuckerman, were charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy.