Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. I went to the detectives and I said, we have what appears to be a large multimillion-dollar, maybe hundreds of millions of dollars, theft affecting over 240 victims, the now-retired Lake told Coupons in the News. Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. Yes. The Phoenix Police Department conducted undercover operations in which they purchased the counterfeit coupons. They encounter married employees Alejandro and Rosa Diaz, who agree to send them the unused coupons. The three women, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson, mostly sold free-product coupons. The Coupon Queens cheated as many as 40 major manufacturers (Business Insider). Yes. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. Thats money in the bank.'. They were charged with counterfeiting, forgery, operating an illegal enterprise, money laundering, and other violations. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Coupons in the News features daily news stories and information about coupons, grocery shopping and saving money. At the time of her arrest, investigators discovered Ramirez had four online accounts and 12 bank accounts. Credit: Courtesy STX Films "They're also some of the best writers I've ever worked with. The CIC and some of its members were on location in a mobile command unit watching the bust." He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Released in the United States on September 10, 2021 by STXfilms, the film received mixed reviews from critics and was a box office bomb, grossing only $1.2 million against a $20 million production budget. [12] Hauser's performance as fraud specialist Ken Miller received praise from critics who praised his onscreen chemistry with Vaughn while noting that the film established him as a comedic actor after his breakthrough role in 2019's Richard Jewell. Un par de amas de casa crean una estafa de cupones de 40 millones de dlares. Heres how the real Queenpins counterfeit coupon ring worked: shoppers would purchase the coupons on websites like eBay and/or be invited or referred to the rings personal website, savvyshoppersite.com. This is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. Produced by Music by Siddhartha Khosla . But nobody really thought it was a big deal, because, you know, its coupons.. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. I try to work with police chiefs, at the state and local level, to come up with ways of explaining how important protecting our business infrastructure is, he said. Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. 'Its like Robin Hood,' Howell-Baptiste's character says in the trailer, summing up the coupon fraud plan. Queenpins Writers Balance Comedic Tone with Real-Life Drama in Coupon Caper By: Shanee Edwards Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson and Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski in QUEENPINS. Yes, a bear actually did consumer millions of dollars worth of cocaine. The crime comedy is based on a counterfeit coupon empire that shocked law enforcement. They were also ordered to pay Proctor & Gamble more than $1.2 million. Coupon enthusiast Jill Cataldo warns, "Even though many places sell coupons online, you should never buy them. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts to fight "complex coupon fraud schemes." After a particularly frustrating day, Connie writes a complaint letter to General Mills about the Wheaties she ate being stale, and soon, she receives a coupon for a free box of cereal. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste, playing the lead roles, are as spectacular as ever. That's not how the world works y'know. On the other side we have faceless and barely acknowledged corporations (always a convenient bad guy) and an LPO (loss prevention officer, a fancy title for private security). The duo bond on their mission, with Simon sympathizing with Ken's unwavering devotion. Kristen Bell And Kirby Howell-Baptiste Run A Multi-Million Dollar Coupon Scam In The 'Queenpins' Trailer. For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, rented an aircraft hangar to store her cars, 40-foot speedboat, luxury RV, and various off-road toys. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. Not only does Arizona state law forbid convicted criminals from profiting by selling their story, but writer-directors Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly have emphasized that their story is an entirely fictional version of the real thing. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly did fly to Arizona in 2018 to interview the real detective who worked the case. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. But thats just Connie and Jojo. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. "I'm saving money!" Perhaps the most telling sign that things weren't on the up-and-up was the fact that the site advised, "Please do not share this information with people that you don't actually know. They contact the hacker who stole JoJos identity, Tempe Tina, and are taken to her secret location, where she instructs the pair on how to conceal their operation and secure their money, suggesting they use JoJos cosmetics brand Back 2 Black to disguise their coupon business. Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise. Procter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. Queenpins tells a comedic story of two down-on-their-luck Phoenix women who discover their path to prosperity by concocting a $40 million counterfeit coupon scheme that all comes crashing down when they get caught. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. A trailer released this month shows how a suburban housewife (Bell) and her coupon vlogger friend (Howell-Baptiste) come up with a scheme to sell fake coupons online, earning them millions of dollars while contributing to costly losses for brands like Proctor & Gamble andUnilever. Required fields are marked *. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Details of the true story at the heart of Queenpinswere first revealed in July 2012. Marilyn Johnson, 54, Robin Ramirez, 40, and Amiko Fountain, 42, were taken into custody, and in a press conference, police said a search warrant served resulted in the seizing of $40 million worth of coupons and $2 million worth of assets from the womens homes, including $240,000 in vehicles, 22 guns, and a 40-foot speedboat. If you watch the movie 'Queenpins,' you will see, what I believe, is the first film in Hollywood to feature AEW in the film." Furthermore, Paul Walter Hauser reveals that he has actually had minimal wrestling training with several names from The Nightmare Factory including Anthony Ogogo, Preston Vance, and even WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas . After tracing the origins of the ring to Phoenix, the FBI then teamed up with local law enforcement to bust the group. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Meanwhile, Ken is partnered with U.S. postal inspector Simon Kilmurry. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. The women guaranteed a one-hundred-percent return rate if a store rejected one of their coupons. When we're with Connie and JoJo, the tone of "Queenpins" is upbeat and sit-com-y, with Dolly Parton on the soundtrack telling us everything is going to be all right. "This is to American companies who produced American products and hire American citizens" (DSA). The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. "We're Robin Hood," the queenpins reassure themselves. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount. That's the psychological illogic of coupons, referred to in the movie as the "coupon high." The coupons are being sent through the mail and the FBI does not take it seriouslybecause it's coupons. Judge Rosa Mroz of Maricopa County Superior Court ordered all three to payProcter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life." Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. In 2012, investigators found millions of dollars worth in forged coupons. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. Savvy Shopper Site had a few other suspicious requirements. In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. Had the system been better then, Lake said, we could have arrested probably another 50 people at least, who were buying hundreds of these coupons at a time and saying, I know theyre fake, but they work great.. The true story behind Queenpins reveals that the women bought them in bulk overseas and then posted them for sale on sites like eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com, which is now defunct. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. Con Kristen Bell, Lidia Porto, Joel McHale, Kirby. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. In addition to the $40 million in counterfeit coupons that they confiscated, police seized $2 million in assets from the three women, including four homes, 22 guns, a 40-foot speed boat, and 21 vehicles. Watch Queenpins: Bebe Rexha On The Experience She's Had So Far Acting In Her First Film Photos 17 Top cast Edit Kristen Bell Connie Kirby JoJo (as Kirby Howell-Baptiste) Paul Walter Hauser Ken Bebe Rexha Tempe Tina Lidia Porto Mrs. Flores Joel McHale Rick Greta Oglesby Mama Josie Eduardo Franco Greg (Cashier) Ben Sidell Man in Line Nneoma Sampson [9], Other box office grosses include Russia ($326,012), Ukraine ($221,109), Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. But thats just Connie and Jojo. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. [10], On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 47% based on 62 reviews with an average rating of 5.40/10. However, everything that's built onto this premise in the movie is almost entirely fictional. The scheme came crashing down after forty businesses, including major companies like Proctor & Gamble, Hershey, and PepsiCo, filed fraud complaints. Because they arent exactly hardened criminals, they think that the money theyve made through their shell company has to be laundered, so they bought all these high priced items with the intent to just immediately resell them. Fountain and Johnson both still live and work in the Phoenix area, in professions that have nothing to do with coupons. "[11] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. Tellingly, the changes to the details of the real law enforcement and private investigators make them less sympathetic. ', 'These people aren't buying a few coupons from this site,' Officer James Holmes added. 'We were ordering hundreds of dollars in coupons every month,' one anonymous user toldKentuckys WPSD. A look at the counterculture movement that became the religious right. I'd recommend this film for unwinding on a Friday night after a long week. Unilever also claimed losses, pointing to five particular coupons that had been founded in Ramirezs home, though a judge ruled that they couldn't prove that the three women were responsible for selling them. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. And why Bell and co-star Paul Walter Houser didnt talk to the real people behind the characters they play. And they get a monthly reminder every time they make their latest restitution payment. But Lake determinedly led his team in pursuing the case. But court records indicate that she has not quite been able to put this case behind her. He can next be seen in the movie Delia's Gone. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. They also turned to the Coupon Information Corporation. Those are intriguing issues but themovie is less interested in exploring them than it is giving the queenpins makeovers and silly plot detours involving a militia and extended scatological humor. Before playing Agent Park, he was inTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,Wreck-It Ralph, Bob's Burgers, and many others. Yes. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. Her next acting roleisfor the movie Confess, Fletch. When Phoenix police seized the counterfeit coupons and the women's assets, they discovered computer records that listed all of the customers who had purchased coupons from the women. Kiara frowned, watching the usually stoic Ame toss and turn in the driver's seat. He also explained the counterfeit coupon case to Gaudet and Pullapilly, who sought him out after their curiosity was piqued when they first read about the crime. But Aron [Gaudet]and Gita [Pullapilly], as storytellers our writer and directors have added so many specific elements of storytelling to this about what Connies career was, what Jojos career was, their circumstances in life in order to create a story that you would root for, and then it sort of goes into the nonfiction aspect that it sort of wasnt maybe as necessary to take on a ton of the real life characteristics of the women.. David Lake said. And after reading the script and falling massively in love with it, because it was such a grounded comedy, I did some research about these women. Much the same can be said for Paul Walter Houser, who plays Ken Miller, the loss prevention officer that uncovers and eventually busts Connie and Jojos scam. Bud Miller, Executive Director of the Coupon Information Center, told money-saving columnist Jill Cataldo at the time, "These customers should expect contact in the future." In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. Ramirez, then 40, Fountain, then 42, and Johnson, then 54, were arrested andcharged with counterfeiting, forgery, money laundering, operating an illegal enterprise, and other crimes. Their unbelievable success eventually catches the attention of law enforcement. After multiple, very expensive fertility treatment failures, she and her IRS auditor husband (Joel McHale, given nothing to do) are estranged and deeply in debt. The story of the three womens 2012 arrests for coupon fraud is back in the news, as the major motion picture they inspired is set to open in theaters this Friday. Queenpins (2021) Rated R for language throughout. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. McHaleis perhaps best known for his role inCommunity, and will next be starring in the series Black Box. Vaughn is also currently appearing in the series Curb Your Enthusiasm. Your email address will not be published. Autumn Cejer is a Movie/TV Features Writer for Screen Rant. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Lets break it down. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. Woman on Plane: Hey sorry, uhm, would you mind if we switched seats, just for this last part? In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. The details were first revealed after a Tuesday morning raid in July 2012 by the Phoenix Arizona Police Department. Police in Phoenix, Arizona, announced the arrest of three women after they confiscated more than $25 million worth of fake coupons in a raid. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life Queenpins? Annie MumoloasCrystal - Mumolo appears in the minor role of Crystal. Connie, JoJo, Simon (Vince Vaughn) and Ken (Paul Walter Hauser) arewhat Aron and I feelwhat we're all often feeling in this life: undervalued and discounted. As far as the real women involved, stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste admit that they never actually met or spoke to the actual minds behind the crime to learn what sparked it. Queenpins is a quirky crime comedy inspired by a trio of women who made millions of dollars in an elaborate coupon scam. Yes, like the grocery store coupons that come with the Sunday paper. Alienated by her uninspiring existence being unemployed and having suffered a miscarriage in an attempt to conceive a child, Connie commiserates with her best friend Joanna "JoJo" Johnson, who has been unable to secure proper employment since having her identity stolen and thus lives with her mother Josephine, attempting to generate revenue by making YouTube videos while being amorously pursued by the local mailman, Earl. After complaining about cereal gone stale, the pair receives dozens of freebies, inspiring them to hatch an illegal coupon club scheme. Marilyn Johnson, 54, Robin Ramirez, 40, and Amiko Fountain, 42, were taken into custody, and in a press conference, police said a search warrant served resulted in the seizing of $40 million worth of coupons and $2 million worth of assets from the womens homes, including $240,000 in vehicles, 22 guns, and a 40-foot speedboat. Queenpins, directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, adapts a real-life story and presents it most humorously and entertainingly. She was born and raised in Huntington Woods, Michigan, and is the daughter of Lorelei (Frygier), a nurse, and Tom Bell, a television news director. So they may be the first ones to tell you that coupon crime may make for a great Hollywood comedy but in real life, its no laughing matter. Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson in QUEENPINS. Bud Miller is thought to have loosely inspired Paul Walter Hauser's character in the movie, Ken Miller. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. People who purchased coupons on the site could use them for an item and even get cash back if the value of the coupon exceeded the item's price. It's very easy to say their words," says Kristen. The ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. Except that these ladies sold unauthorized or forged coupons for a fraction of the face value to consumers who used them to get lots and lots of stuff without paying for it. Lets break it down. But can you live with what you did?. Thats the type of money they had.. US Postal Inspector Simon Kilmurry (Vince Vaughn) appears to be entirely fictional. Now, with their story back in the spotlight, theres no escaping it, even nearly ten years later. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHO at the time. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Place co-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. The fake coupon game isnt a joke. These companies included Hershey, Procter & Gamble, and the Coupon Information Corporation. Some movies are based on true stories, some movies are inspired by true stories. JoJo combines two people in real life:Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson. Because they arent exactly hardened criminals, they think that the money theyve made through their shell company has to be laundered, so they bought all these high priced items with the intent to just immediately resell them. Mumolo was an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter for the romantic comedy Bridesmaids. A reality television series about this trend had an episode on the Arizona coupon case. Thecomedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. Next:Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. This includes forums and any public viewing areas or websites.". I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. The comedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. Here . The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. Included in the seizures were $25,000,000 worth of fake coupons, 22 assault weapons, and 21 vehicles including a 40 foot boat. Slapstick . Dejected and frustrated suburban housewife Connie Kaminski (ne Stevens), a three-time gold-medal-winning former Olympic racewalker, has followed the conventional life path set for her by society ever since she was young. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. She does not seem to take it too seriously, telling us that "this is a story about little old coupons.". The three real-life Coupon Queens carried out their counterfeit operation in Phoenix, Arizona where they lived. Ame shielded her eyes from the sunlight, "It's just that it's been a while since I've been on duty at daytime.". In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. Will DiGravio is a Brooklyn-based critic, researcher, and video essayist, who has been a contributor at Film School Rejects since 2018. He described digging through trash cans, conducting surveillance, and ultimately kicking in the doors of the three womens homes, where they found a treasure trove of evidence coupons, cash, guns, along with what they later discovered was an airplane hangar filled with sports cars, a fully decked-out RV and a 40-foot speedboat. In Queenpins, its Ken Miller who pleads with the FBI to get involved, but in the end, he ends up working with Vince Vaughns postal inspector character, with the reasoning being that the crime was technically committed via snail mail. Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debt burying her and her husband. As one law enforcement official put it, these were not the fifty-cents-off coupons one might find in their mailbox. [13], Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 04:25, "STXfilms' Kristen Bell Coupon Clipping Scam Comedy 'Queenpins' Sells US For $20M+ To Paramount+ & Showtime", "Leslie Jones-Kristen Bell Coupon Caper 'Queenpins' Lands With Rocket Science Cannes", "Vince Vaughn & Paul Walter Hauser Join Comedy 'Queenpins' With Leslie Jones & Kristen Bell", "Kristen Bell & Kirby Howell-Baptiste Coupon Scam Comedy 'Queenpins' Snapped Up By STX Toronto", "Bebe Rexha Joins Kristen Bell in Comedy 'Queenpins', "Dayo Okeniyi, Joel McHale, Nick Cassavetes, Michael Masini, Eduardo Franco, Paul Rust And 3 More Join 'Queenpins'; Jack McBrayer And Annie Mumolo To Cameo", "And so it begins #Queenpins", "STX Dates 'Queenpins', 'National Champions', 'Violence Of Action' & Untitled Guy Ritchie Movie For 2021 & Beyond", "Paul Walter Hauser Quietly Steals Delightful Crime Comedy 'Queenpins', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Queenpins&oldid=1139643182, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 04:25.
Comments are closed.