Sometimes, the amounts that some people may go to for insurance payouts are very reasonable.
Four men were arrested in California in connection with an insurance scam after they dressed as a bear and damaged several luxury cars.
The California Department of Insurance said on Wednesday that Robin Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Cherkinyan, 39, Vahi Moradkhanyan, 32, and Alvia Zuckerman, 39, were charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy for allegedly defrauding $141,839 (about $200,000 Canadian). From insurance companies. .
Officials say the four men tried They claim the bear got in and damaged A 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost in January of this year, while parked at Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Group Shared video With an insurance company they said it showed the so-called bear breaking into the car, which was a big mistake and eventually got them into trouble with the fuzz.
After further examination of the video, the investigation determined that it was a bear Actually someone dressed as a bearThe ministry said in a statement.
The group allegedly tried to hide the fur from the eyes of the two separate insurance companies on two other claims, it said — a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350 — again, with someone in a bear suit.
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Photos provided by the Insurance Department show what appear to be “scratches” on the seats and doors.
A screenshot from a video provided by the California Department of Insurance shows “claw” marks inside the interior of a luxury vehicle.
California Department of Insurance
The department asked a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to review the three videos, who concluded it was “clearly a human wearing a bear suit,” the Insurance Department said.
After executing a search warrant, investigators found a bear costume at the suspects’ home, complete with a bear head, full fur suit, feet, and metal hand tools designed to mimic claws.
A photo of a bear costume seized from a man’s home.
California Department of Insurance
Casual bears are known to be a nuisance in California, with humans encroaching on their territory across the state. They are often seen swimming in backyard pools and hot tubs and have been known to break into refrigerators and freezers.
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