According to officials, video released this week by California’s Department of Insurance purportedly shows a group of Los Angeles residents executing fake bear attacks on their own fancy cars, including a Rolls-Royce Ghost and Mercedes-Benz “G-Wagon” — using a bear suit and meat shredders.
“It was clearly a human in a bear suit,” the department said in a press release on Wednesday after handing down charges to Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39.
The group is suspected of impersonating a bear to attack at least three vehicles: a 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost, a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG, and a 2022 Mercedes E350. The original price tags for all three vehicles combined were more than $350,000, with the Ghost’s base sedan alone costing $245,000.
State officials said an insurance firm came forward earlier this year after receiving a tip about one of the “bear” attacks that appeared suspicious. According to officials, the firm received a claim regarding an event at Lake Arrowhead on January 28 that resulted in internal damage to a Rolls-Royce — the Ghost.
The suspects produced security footage showing what they claimed was a bear having its way with their vehicle, opening a front door and making its way to the back for some food before exiting, according to the insurance company. CDI photos show damage and scratches on the car’s inside.
“Upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume,” CDI officials said Wednesday. “Detectives found two additional insurance claims with two different insurance companies, for the suspects with the same date of loss and at the same location.” Additional video had also been submitted.
After conducting an inquiry, the department was able to piece things together using some clever methods of its own.
“To further ensure it was not actually a bear in the video, the Department had a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife review the three alleged bear videos and they also opined it was clearly a human in a bear suit,” CDI officials said. “After executing a search warrant, detectives found the bear costume in the suspects’ home.”
CDI claims that the insurance companies involved were defrauded of a total of $141,839. Glendale Police and the California Highway Patrol provided assistance to the department. The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is handling the case.
