eFinder

eFinder

Home › Wildlife/Bear Activity › Article

California bear-suit luxury car scam ends in insurance fraud sentences for 3

Nbcwashington · · 283 words · By The Associated Press
Wildlife/Bear Activity insurance fraud
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/california-bear-suit-l…

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning
Loaded Language 60% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

10 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 8
info Single Source 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
check_circle
“Three people in California have been sentenced for insurance fraud in a bizarre scam that involved someone dressed in a bear costume damaging luxury cars.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results independently report that three people in California were sentenced for insurance fraud involving a bear costume damaging luxury cars.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Three Southern California residents were sentenced for an insurance fraud scheme involving a bear costume. The group collected over $141,000 in insurance payouts for damage to three luxury vehicles.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/california/2026/0…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Three people in California have been sentenced for insurance fraud involving a person in a bear costume damaging high-end cars.
https://apnews.com/article/bear-costume-car-insurance-scam-c…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Three people in California have been sentenced for insurance fraud involving a person in a bear costume damaging high-end cars.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-bear-suit-in…
check_circle
“The California Insurance Department said the three used a person in a bear suit to stage fake attacks inside a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes in 2024, then submitted fraudulent claims seeking nearly $142,000 in payouts from insurance companies.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results cite the California Insurance Department stating that three individuals used a bear suit to stage fake attacks inside a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes in 2024, seeking nearly $142,000 in fraudulent claims.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Haskell Company is an architecture, engineering, construction and consulting firm headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. It was founded by Preston Haskell in 1965 as the Preston H. Haskell Compan…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haskell_(company)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or have the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes. Liberty may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_(disambiguation)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Westgate-California Corporation (WCC) was an American public company and a vehicle for the business interests of C. Arnholt Smith (1899–1996), a San Diego banker, businessman, civic booster, political…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westgate-California_Corporatio…
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“Two Los Angeles-area men and a woman pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud and were sentenced to a weekend jail program, followed by probation, the department said in a news release Thursday.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results consistently report that two Los Angeles-area men and a woman pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud and received sentences including a weekend jail program followed by probation, according to a news release.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Two Los Angeles-area men and a woman pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud and were sentenced to a weekend jail program, followed by probation, the department said in a news release Thursday.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-bear-suit-in…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Two Los Angeles-area men and a woman pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud and were sentenced to a weekend jail program, followed by probation, the department said in a news release Thursday.
https://www.aol.com/articles/california-bear-suit-luxury-car…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Two Los Angeles-area men and a woman pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud and were sentenced to a weekend jail program, followed by probation, the department said in a news release Thursday.
https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/public-safety/2026/04/19/calif…
info
“Two of them were ordered to pay over $50,000 in restitution.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the claim states two individuals were ordered to pay over $50,000 in restitution, the provided evidence for this claim consists of general web search results about unrelated fraud cases or general Wikipedia entries, and no specific, corroborating evidence confirms this exact restitution amount for these three individuals.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and the only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — 2 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 2, two or II may also refer to: AD 2, the second year of the AD era 2 BC, the second year before the AD era The month of February
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_(disambiguation)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — World War II, or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945), was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“A fourth person faces a court hearing in September.”
CORROBORATED
Two separate web search results mention a fourth suspect, Ararat Chirkinian, being scheduled for a preliminary court hearing in September.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A fourth suspect, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, of Glendale, is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing in September. California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said, "What may have looked unbelievable…
https://www.jessekellyshow.com/content/2026-04-17-men-convic…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Muradkhanyan’s restitution amount was not immediately determined. A fourth suspect, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, is scheduled to return to court in September for a preliminary hearing.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/18/california-b…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Learn how to schedule a court hearing for your ticket. Discover effective strategies and expert tips on traffic ticket defense!
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/how-do-you-schedule-a-court-…
check_circle
“The group is accused of providing several videos from the San Bernardino Mountains of a bear moving inside the vehicles to the insurance companies as part of their damage claims, the department said.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm the accusation that the group submitted videos from the San Bernardino Mountains showing a bear inside vehicles as part of their damage claims.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — San Bernardino County ( SAN BUR-nə-DEE-noh), officially the County of San Bernardino, is located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bernardino_County,_Califor…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The San Bernardino Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in Southern California in the United States. The mountain range is part of the Transverse Ranges and lies north and northeast of San B…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bernardino_Mountains
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The San Bernardino Valley (Spanish: Valle de San Bernardino) is a valley in Southern California located at the south base of the Transverse Ranges. It is bordered on the north by the eastern San Gabri…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bernardino_Valley
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“Photos provided by the insurance department show what appeared to be scratches on the seats and doors.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that photos provided by the insurance department showed scratches on the seats and doors.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Photos provided by the insurance department show what appeared to be scratches on the seats and doors. A California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist reviewed the footage and concluded it was …
https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/national/2026/04/18/cali…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Images released by the California Insurance Department (CDI) show minor scratches on the car doors and seats that were intended to pass for claw marks. Detectives discovered the bear suit after search…
https://news.sky.com/story/trio-sentenced-over-bear-costume-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Photos taken from the submitted claims show scratches on the cars' seats and doors. The footage was reviewed by a biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/luxu…
check_circle
“A California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist reviewed the footage and concluded it was “clearly a human in a bear suit,” the insurance department said.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results consistently report that a California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist reviewed the footage and concluded it was 'clearly a human in a bear suit,' according to the insurance department.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), formerly known as the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), is an American state agency under the California Natural Resources Agency. T…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Department_of_Fish_…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of California Department of Fish and Wildlife protected areas. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), through its seven regional divisions, manages 262 protected areas s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_California_Department_…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is the state agency responsible for the restoration and management of fish and wildlife resources, and the promotion of boating safety on Nevada’s waters. NDOW…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Department_of_Wildlife
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“After executing a search warrant, detectives found the bear costume in the suspects’ home, the department said.”
CORROBORATED
The claim is corroborated by a cross-reference source stating that detectives found the bear costume while executing a search warrant at the suspect's home.
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — Detectives found the bear costume seen in the video while executing a search warrant at the home of one of the suspects in the case.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/18/california-b…
verified
“Bears breaking into homes or trash cans in search of food have become a problem in California from Lake Tahoe in the Sierra down to the foothill suburbs of Los Angeles, where some have been known to raid refrigerators and take dips in backyard pools and hot tubs.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia entries confirm the existence and location of Lake Tahoe and the general geographical area (Sierra Nevada, foothills of Los Angeles) where bears are known to roam, supporting the general premise of bear activity in the region.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lake Tahoe () is a freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the Western United States, straddling the border between California and Nevada. Lying at 6,225 ft (1,897 m) above sea level, Lake Tahoe is th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tahoe
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, United States, in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The city's population was 21,330 at the 2020 census, down from 21,403 at the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Lake_Tahoe,_California
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tahoe Tessie is a cryptid said to inhabit the depths of Lake Tahoe, a lake that straddles the border between California and Nevada. Reports of Tessie date back to the mid-19th century, and over time, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahoe_Tessie
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.