Three sentenced in Southern California 'man in bear suit' insurance scam

Three Southern California residents were sentenced after prosecutors presented a viral video showing a man in a bloody bear costume staging injuries to support false insurance claims. Investigators and a California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist reviewed the footage and concluded the purported ursine was "clearly a human in a bear suit," the California Department of Insurance said. Prosecutors said the staged incidents generated multiple fraudulent claims, which led to criminal charges, convictions, and court-ordered penalties for the defendants.