Insurance scams tend to be relatively straightforward and, more often than not, pretty devoid of mystery and drama. However, a recent fraudulent scheme that took place in Los Angeles, California was anything but straightforward. Let’s just say it involved a group of friends and a pretty unconvincing bear costume.

The Washington Post recently reported that four people were arrested on Wednesday 13 November 2024 for allegedly submitting fake videos and defrauding companies of about $140,000. The videos in question supposedly showed a rogue black bear attacking and causing damage to multiple cars, including a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes cars.

The scam began in January, when the group first alleged that a bear had broken into a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost, valued around$100,000, and damaged its interior.

The thing is, it wasn’t actually a bear wreaking havoc, it was actually a human being wearing a bear costume… You have to respect the creativity and commitment.

The insurance company raised concerns to state officials after it noticed some abnormalities with the video footage submitted by the four claimants. An investigation took place and detectives with the California insurance department asked Kevin Howells, a biologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, to look at the footage.

The footage provided to the insurance company was recorded at night and so pretty low quality. It showed the bear spending about 30 to 45 seconds in the first car, rummaging around the front and back and then falling out of the open passenger door.

@apescats

Anyone got a bear costume i can borrow? For a friend of course… #breakingnews #funnynews #getrich #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp

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Howells, who was immediately suspicious and dubious of the footage, told news outlets: “As soon as the bear came into frame, to me, it was pretty quick and fairly obvious that it was not.”

Turns out, a little peak in one of the claimant’s households and low and behold a bear costume was discovered.

According to the BBC,  those arrested in what investigators have dubbed “Operation Bear Claw” are: Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39.

As much as I’m not in favour of insurance fraud, I’m sure we can all agree that this entire debacle is kind of iconic. I personally respect the hustle.