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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:
KEYWORDS: armenians; bear; bearcostume; fraud; insurance
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1 posted on 11/15/2024 10:20:12 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
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.

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.)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

3 posted on 11/15/2024 10:23:25 AM PST by RummyChick
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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.)
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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)
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To: nickcarraway
This guy was trying to protect his truck from the bear.


6 posted on 11/15/2024 10:26:34 AM PST by mikey_hates_everything
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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.)
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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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To: nickcarraway

What the heck?

They said a bear damaged their car. Why would anyone pull a stunt like this, to damage your own property, and then claim insurance reimbursement?


9 posted on 11/15/2024 10:32:05 AM PST by Dilbert San Diego
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To: ponygirl

Yeah, and it’s looks like he had a little trouble getting through the birth canal.


10 posted on 11/15/2024 10:33:00 AM PST by WeaslesRippedMyFlesh (I have zero tolerance and zero empathy for the left)
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To: nickcarraway

They all have good ol’ Irish names..


11 posted on 11/15/2024 10:33:51 AM PST by howlinhound (Tagline in the shop for repairs.)
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To: nickcarraway
I was going to claim that an alligator damaged my car. But after reading about these arrests, I don’t think I will.


12 posted on 11/15/2024 10:33:57 AM PST by Leaning Right (It’s morning in America. Again.)
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To: nickcarraway

13 posted on 11/15/2024 10:39:23 AM PST by Rinnwald
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To: RummyChick

Armenians. Like the trashy Kardashians.


14 posted on 11/15/2024 10:39:28 AM PST by nwrep
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear; howlinhound

Is there some stereotype about Armenians I don’t know about?


15 posted on 11/15/2024 10:40:30 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Police saw this on their laptops: “Bear costume for insurance caper”.


16 posted on 11/15/2024 10:40:49 AM PST by nwrep
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To: All

Operation Bear Claw


17 posted on 11/15/2024 10:55:08 AM PST by mykroar ("It's Not the Nature of the Evidence; It's the Seriousness of the Charge." - El Rushbo)
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To: nickcarraway

18 posted on 11/15/2024 11:12:19 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: ponygirl

They probably had the woman do it judging by the way Booboo climbed in the front passenger side and crawled to the back between the seats.
Cannot picture big burly foreign types doing anything when there is a woman to do it for them.


19 posted on 11/15/2024 11:15:51 AM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

They have been making tens of thousands of bucks scuffing up Mercedes. This wasn’t the first.


20 posted on 11/15/2024 11:17:01 AM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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