This week, four people from the Los Angeles area were arrested after an investigation by the California Department of Insurance. The suspects are accused of creating a plan where they used a life-sized bear costume to pretend that their cars were attacked. Their goal was to get a large insurance payout. The individuals involved are Ruben Tamrazian, 26; Ararat Chirkinian, 39; Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32; and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39. They now face charges for insurance fraud and conspiracy, and their actions reportedly cost three insurance companies a total of $141,839.

The investigation, called "Operation Bear Claw," started earlier this year when one of the insurance claims seemed suspicious. In January, the suspects claimed that a bear had entered their 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost while it was parked in Lake Arrowhead, an area known for having black bears. They even provided video evidence showing a furry figure entering the car and damaging the inside. However, investigators later found out that the "bear" was actually a person in a bear costume.

As investigators looked deeper, they found two more claims from the same suspects involving different cars—a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350. The way these claims were made was very similar to the first one, which made authorities doubt their truthfulness. To confirm their suspicions, investigators brought in a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The biologist concluded that the videos showed a human in a bear suit, not a real bear.

To get to the bottom of the situation, detectives searched the suspects' home and found the bear costume, which included a furry head, paws, and metal tools that looked like claws. The light brown color of the costume raised more questions because California's only wild bears are black bears, which usually aren't brown or tan. This difference added to the evidence against the suspects, suggesting that their claims were made up. The investigation has involved teamwork with the Glendale Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, and the case is now with the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office to decide on the next steps.

Original news source: They told insurers a bear damaged their car. But it was actually a person in a costume (NPR)

– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group takes turns performing actions or scenarios based on key elements from the article (e.g., "pretending to be a bear," "filing an insurance claim," "investigating a crime"). The other groups must guess what they are acting out. This helps students recall the article while practicing their speaking and listening skills.
– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Prepare a few questions related to the article, such as "Do you think insurance fraud is a serious crime?" or "What would you do if you witnessed someone committing fraud?" Students will move around the classroom asking their classmates these questions and recording their answers. Afterward, they can share the most interesting responses in small groups.
– MIND MAP
Instructions: On the board, draw a large circle and write "Operation Bear Claw" in it. Ask students to contribute words or phrases related to the article, such as "insurance fraud," "costume," "investigation," and "suspects." Write these around the central idea to create a mind map. This visual activity helps students organize their thoughts and vocabulary related to the article's content.
– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Split students into pairs and ask them to create a catchy headline for the article. They can brainstorm different options and then vote on the best headline as a class. This activity encourages creativity and helps students practice summarizing the main idea of the article in a concise manner.
– SPEED SUMMARIZING
Instructions: Set a timer for two minutes. In pairs, one student summarizes the article while the other listens. After one minute, they switch roles. After the activity, ask students to share any new vocabulary or phrases they used during their summaries. This activity reinforces comprehension and speaking skills under time constraints.

This week, four people from the Los Angeles area were arrested after an investigation by the California Department of Insurance. The suspects are accused of creating a plan where they used a life-sized bear costume to pretend that their cars were attacked. Their goal was to get a large ? payout. The individuals involved are Ruben Tamrazian, 26; ? Chirkinian, 39; Vahe ?, 32; and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39. They now face charges for insurance fraud and ?, and their actions reportedly cost three insurance companies a total of $141,839. The investigation, called "Operation Bear Claw," started earlier this year when one of the insurance ? seemed suspicious. In January, the suspects claimed that a bear had entered their 2010 Rolls ? Ghost while it was parked in Lake Arrowhead, an area known for ? black bears. They even provided video evidence showing a furry ? entering the car and damaging the inside. However, investigators later found out that the "bear" was actually a person in a bear costume. As investigators looked deeper, they ? two more claims from the same suspects involving ? cars—a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350. The way these claims were made was very similar to the first one, which made authorities doubt their truthfulness. To confirm their suspicions, investigators brought in a biologist from the California ? of Fish and Wildlife. The biologist concluded that the videos showed a human in a bear suit, not a real bear. To get to the ? of the situation, detectives searched the suspects' home and found the bear costume, which included a furry head, paws, and metal tools that ? like ?. The light brown color of the costume raised more questions because ?'s only wild bears are black bears, which usually aren't brown or tan. This difference added to the evidence against the suspects, suggesting that their claims were made up. The investigation has involved ? with the Glendale Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, and the case is now with the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office to decide on the next steps.

1. What is your opinion on people committing insurance fraud? Why do you think some people do it?
2. How would you feel if you were a detective working on a case like this?
3. Do you think it’s ever okay to lie to get money? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever heard of a similar story where someone tried to trick an insurance company? What happened?
5. What is a bear costume used for, in your opinion? Do you think it could be used for fun or for something serious?
6. How would you react if you saw a bear in real life? Would you be scared or excited?
7. Do you think the suspects in this story will learn from their mistakes? Why or why not?
8. What is your opinion on how insurance companies investigate claims? Do you think they do a good job?
9. How would you feel if you were one of the insurance companies involved and lost money because of fraud?
10. Do you think people are more likely to commit fraud in tough financial times? Why?
11. What is a funny or creative way you can think of that someone could use a costume?
12. How would you feel if you were a neighbor of the suspects and found out about their actions?
13. Do you think the punishment for insurance fraud should be strict? Why or why not?
14. What is a lesson you think people can learn from this story?
15. How would you feel if you were the person who made the video that exposed the fraud? Would you be proud or worried? Why?

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