Bear-costume scam leads to insurance-fraud sentences for trio in California

Three California residents were sentenced for insurance fraud after a scheme involving a person in a bear costume allegedly damaging luxury cars (a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes) to file fraudulent claims totaling about $142,000 under the operation dubbed “Bear Claw.” The trio pleaded no contest and received a weekend jail program plus probation, with restitution over $50,000; a fourth suspect has a September court hearing. Detectives and a California Fish and Wildlife biologist confirmed the bear was human in costume, and the costume was found at the suspects’ home.