Four people have been arrested and charged with insurance fraud after showing an alleged fake video of a bear attacking three of their high-value cars.

According to a press release from the California Department of Insurance, the four Los Angeles residents allegedly committed insurance fraud by claiming a bear attacked their cars, causing extensive damage in the process.

The department began investigating the claims after the original insurance company suspected fraud, though there is a video of the alleged bear attacking a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost. During the investigation, they determined that the bear was actually a man in a bear suit.

Detectives also found two other insurance claims with other companies made by the suspects who claim they also experienced damage to their Mercedes from a bear at the same location. The department said a video of the claims was also provided, but they were sure it was again a man in a bear suit.

“To further ensure that there was not in fact a bear in the video, the Department had a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife review the three alleged bear videos and also believed that it was clearly a man in a bear suit”, press. said the release.

California Department of Insurance

After obtaining a search warrant for the suspect’s homes, police found the bear suit used in the videos. He looks like your regular bear suit, according to the image shared by the department, but for some reason, he’s also wearing a white jacket.

To simulate the ‘bear’ causing damage to vehicles, the suspects allegedly used a pair of kitchen utensils. After a quick reverse image search of the suit apparently used, Dexerto identified them as Kitchen Mama meat mincing claws.

The suspects ran up a massive $141,839 bill for the alleged fraud that it could cost each suspect up to $50,000 and five years in state prison.

The California Department of Insurance has investigated quite a few viral insurance fraud cases over the years. In 2023, they accused YouTubers Christopher and Kimberly Phelps with insurance fraud and child endangerment after repeatedly causing content accidents.