Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Holly Patrick

Fraudsters use bear costume to carry out elaborate insurance scam

  • A California Department of Insurance investigation, named "Operation Bear Claw", uncovered an insurance fraud scheme involving individuals staging fake attacks on high-end vehicles.
  • Fraudsters used a person in a bear suit to simulate damage to cars, including a 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost, and then submitted fraudulent claims to insurance companies.
  • The investigation began after a suspicious claim in January 2024 in Lake Arrowhead, where footage of a "bear" damaging a Rolls-Royce was submitted, later revealed to be a person in costume.
  • Detectives identified two additional fraudulent claims linked to the same date and location, bringing the total loss to insurance companies to $141,839.
  • Alfiya Zuckerman, Ruben Tamrazian, and Vahe Muradkhanyan were each sentenced to 180 days in jail, to be served through a weekend programme, with Zuckerman and Tamrazian also ordered to pay almost $108,000 in restitution.

IN FULL

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.