Three sentenced for luxurious automobile insurance coverage rip-off involving individual sporting bear swimsuit | EUROtoday

A rip-off involving an individual in a bear costume inflicting harm to luxurious automobiles in California has resulted in three folks dealing with sentencing for insurance coverage fraud.

In 2024, three folks — Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, Ruben Tamrazian, 26, and Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32 — staged bear assaults inside a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes autos, in keeping with the California Insurance Department. The folks then filed fraudulent insurance coverage claims searching for $142,000 to cowl the damages, claiming the animal had broken their autos.

A fourth particular person, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, was allegedly concerned within the scheme and can go to courtroom in September, in keeping with ABC News.

The CID dubbed its investigation “Operation Bear Claw.”

“What may have looked unbelievable turned out to be exactly that — and now those responsible are being held accountable,” stated Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.

The group apparently hoped to persuade insurance coverage firms that an precise bear had gotten into the autos and precipitated the harm, the division stated. They submitted movies of the assaults during which the autos are parked within the San Bernardino Mountains.

Photos taken from the submitted claims present scratches on the automobiles’ seats and doorways.

The footage was reviewed by a biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. They concluded that the footage was “clearly a human in a bear suit,” in keeping with the CID.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for the trio’s houses and found a bear costume at one of many residences, in keeping with the CID. All 4 had been initially arrested in 2024, in keeping with a press launch from the division.

Zuckerman, Tamrazian and Muradkhanyan all pleaded no contest to felony insurance coverage fraud and had been every sentenced to 180 days in jail.

Zuckerman was ordered to pay $55,360 in restitution, and Tamrazian was ordered to pay $52,268. A ruling on Muradkhanyan’s restitution continues to be being decided.

There are documented cases of bears breaking into houses and automobiles searching for meals, and bear incursions into populated areas have turn out to be a rising downside in California.