Multiple people in Glendale have been sentenced in a bizarre felony insurance fraud case involving a bear costume and luxury cars. 

Officials from the California Department of Insurance launched the investigation back in 2024 after an insurance company flagged an unusual claim of a Rolls-Royce Ghost sedan being damaged after a bear climbed inside near Lake Arrowhead. The grainy surveillance footage appeared to show a bear rummaging through the vehicle, and photos submitted showed scratches on the interior of the car, which can retail for over $400,000 when new.

But the video and photos from the scene didn’t look quite right. During the investigation, detectives sent the footage to a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who “concluded the animal shown was clearly a human in a bear suit,” according to the news release from the California Department of Insurance. The team then realized similar claims had been made about damage to two Mercedes vehicles. 

After a search of the suspects’ homes, detectives discovered a bear costume complete with what appeared to be a stainless steel meat shredder claw used to mimic the bear attack.

Four people were arrested in 2024, and this week, three of the individuals were sentenced. Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, of Valley Village was sentenced to 180 days in jail. She is ordered to pay $55,360 in restitution. Ruben Tamrazian, 26, of Glendale, was also sentenced to 180 days in jail and ordered to pay $52,268 in restitution. Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, of Glendale was sentenced to 180 days in jail, but his restitution has not been determined. A fourth individual is scheduled to return to court in September for a hearing. 

“What may have looked unbelievable turned out to be exactly that — and now those responsible are being held accountable,” California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in the statement. “My Department’s investigators uncovered the facts, exposed this scam, and helped bring these defendants to justice. Insurance fraud is a serious crime that drives up costs for consumers, and no scheme is too outrageous for us to investigate.”