In a bizarre tale that could easily be mistaken for a new episode of CSI: Furry Edition, four California friends found themselves in hot water after attempting to defraud an insurance company with a bear costume. The group, desperate for cash, thought they could pull off a “wild” scheme: one of them dressed as a bear and staged an attack on a luxury car, hoping to cash in on the damages. Spoiler alert: the plan didn’t exactly go as expected.
This eccentric storyline commenced in January when a resident of Los Angeles tried to submit an insurance claim for his luxurious 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost. The man, perhaps foolishly, obtained and showed his insurer CCTV footage of a bear supposedly breaking into his car. The controversial CCTV footage that was intended to show how evidence of the damage was caused by the bear illustrated a ‘bear’ that was slinking into the vehicle through an open window. Nonetheless, the footage also raised certain issues, such as the fact that the bear in question had a glossy and manicured layer of fur that was more reminiscent of a decorative ‘Halloween bear’ as opposed to the portrayal of a fierce ‘wild animal’.
Impatience and suspicion grew ahead and when the investigators decided to look into details, there was nothing left of the made-up story within the shortest period. A California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist looked at the video and noted that this supposed “bear” was likely more of a man wearing pyjamas with a bear print than a wild animal. A closer analysis revealed that the scratches on the victim's car—which were stab, sleek cuts on the seats and doors—did not quite resemble the savage ruin that a bear would cause.
The scam came to light when authorities discovered the bear costume in the home of one of the suspects. The costume, complete with attachable claws and a furry onesie, was enough to make even the most sceptical investigator scratch their heads. But it wasn’t just the costume that raised eyebrows—it was the sheer audacity of the plan. These friends believed they could pull off an elaborate fraud and get away with it.
The four men involved—Ruben Tamrazian, Ararat Chirkinian, Vahe Muradkhanyan, and Alfiya Zuckerman—were arrested and charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy, facing a collective loss of $141,839 in stolen insurance payouts. Authorities weren’t fooled by their bear-faced lies, and the case serves as a reminder of the lengths some people will go to for a quick buck.
While these friends may have thought they were bear-y clever, their plot ended up as a case of "beary" bad judgment. In the end, it wasn’t the claws of a wild bear that brought them down, but rather the claws of justice.
So, next time you hear a wild tale about your car being damaged by a bear, maybe take a closer look—it might just be a case of someone fursturing their way into a scam.
