Bear suit scam: 3 face jail in ‘bizarre’ California car insurance fraud case

Three people face jail time in a “bizarre” insurance fraud case involving damaged luxury vehicles and a person in a bear suit, California authorities reported.

They used the bear suit to stage fake attacks on high-end vehicles, including a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost, then filed fraudulent insurance claims for the damage, the state Department of Insurance in Sacramento said in a Thursday news release.

Investigators reviewing video footage of one of the “attacks” became suspicious about the supposed bear, the agency said.

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

lfiya Zuckerman, 39, of Valley Village, Ruben Tamrazian, 26, of Glendale, and Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, of Glendale, all pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud, officials said. Each will serve 180 days in a weekend jail program.

A fourth person accused in the case is scheduled to return to court September 2026 for a preliminary hearing, the agency said.

An insurance company flagged a suspicious January 2024 claim reporting a bear had entered the Rolls Royce in Lake Arrowhead and damaged the interior, officials said.

Investigators consulted with California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers to determine the bear in a video of the incident was actually a person in a bear suit, officials said.

They also uncovered two other fraudulent claims involving 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350, officials said.

A search of the home of the defendants, who collected $141,839 on the fraudulent claims, uncovered the bear suit, officials said.

Lake Arrowhead is about 80 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 9:46 AM.