4 arrested in California car insurance scam: 'Clearly a human in a bear suit'

Officials arrested four people in California this week after state investigators said they committed insurance fraud by claiming a animal damaged their vehicles, when in reality it was someone wearing a bear costume. 

Los Angeles-area residents Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, are each charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy in connection to the reported scam, the state Department of Insurance announced.

The state agency's investigation began after an insurance company suspected fraud earlier this year, according to a news release.

The suspects told their insurance company a bear entered their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost and caused interior damage to the vehicle on Jan. 28 in Lake Arrowhead, an unincorporated community in the San Bernardino Mountains, the release said.

Cold case arrest:Florida man being held in decades-old Massachusetts double murder

'The alleged bear' in the vehicle

The suspects also provided video footage to the insurance company, which showed "the alleged bear" in the vehicle, according to the news release.

“Upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume,” the department wrote.

State biologist determined it was 'clearly a human in a bear suit'

Detectives found two more insurance claims with two different insurance companies, from the suspects with the same date of loss and the same location, the release continues. Each claim involved two vehicles, a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350, and the suspects also allegedly used a bear costume to make it look like a bear also entered and damaged those vehicles.

They also reportedly provided video footage to the other insurance companies in connection to their claims.

To prove it was not actually a bear in the video, the state agency had a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife review three "bear videos." The biologist, investigators reported, determined it was "clearly a human in a bear suit."

Detectives then obtained a search warrant, and during a search of suspects’ home, found a costume bear suit.

Officials arrested all four suspects on Wednesday, according to the release.

The insurance companies lost nearly $142,000 due to fraud allegedly committed by the suspects.

The Glendale Police Department and the California Highway Patrol assisted the state Department of Insurance in the case, officials said.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office jail records did not have the suspects listed online Thursday. Their pending court dates were not yet listed online for San Bernardino County.

It was not immediately known whether the suspects had obtained attorneys.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.