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Bear‑suit scammers in LA County convicted in insurance fraud scheme

By
Matthew Rodriguez
Digital Producer, CBS Los Angeles
Matthew Rodriguez is a digital producer for CBS Los Angeles. He's previously reported for local outlets like the Argonaut and Pasadena Weekly. Matt typically covers breaking news and crime.
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Matthew Rodriguez

/ CBS LA

Three Los Angeles County residents will spend their weekends in jail for dressing up as a bear and trashing luxury cars for insurance money.

Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, Ruben Tamrazian, 26, and Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud. They were sentenced to 180 days in jail, which will be served through a weekend jail program, according to the California Department of Insurance. The trio was also placed on two years of supervised probation.

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

Zuckerman and Tamazarian must also pay nearly $108,000 in restitution. The court has not determined the amount of restitution Muradkhanyan will pay. 

A fourth suspect, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, has another court date scheduled for September 2026. 

"Insurance fraud is a serious crime that drives up costs for consumers, and no scheme is too outrageous for us to investigate," Lara said. 

screenshot-2024-11-13-at-3-57-44-pm.png
The phony bear suit that was used in the insurance scam.  California Department of Insurance

Investigators said the suspects submitted insurance claims in 2024 that defrauded companies of $141,839. The Department of Insurance said the group sent video footage of a supposed bear damaging the inside of a 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost, a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350.

Those videos, all in the exact same location, showed what appeared to be a bear getting into the cars and crawling around.

Suspecting that the claims were bogus, the companies reported the case to state insurance regulators, who launched an investigation called "Operation Bear Claw."

Investigators believed it was a person dressed as a bear and showed the videos to a biologist at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The scientist told investigators it was "clearly a human in a bear suit," according to state insurance regulators. 

Detectives served a warrant at the suspects' home and found the bear costume. 

© 2026 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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