Yes. Visitors to the Savvy Shopper Site website could buy high-value coupons offering free items like detergent, diapers, pet food and more, for pennies on the dollar. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. These are free-item coupons," Phoenix Police Sgt. Illegal couponing doesn't seem like ahigh-levelcrime, but the two women manage to grow rich off their scheme. "These aren't 50-cent-off coupons. Instead, he becomes highly frustrated when the FBI blows off his concerns. They were also ordered to pay Proctor & Gamble more than $1.2 million. The leader, Ramirez, pleaded guilty to fraud, counterfeiting, and illegal control of an enterprise. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. After complaining about cereal gone stale, the pair receives dozens of freebies, inspiring them to hatch an illegal coupon club scheme. Carly Stern For Dailymail.com 17:42 EST 23 Jul 2021. The trailer for Queenpinsincludes audio of Bell and Howell-Baptistes characters calling out systemic inequality and likening themselves to Robin Hood. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. Review: Scamming Audiences with Sophomoric Humor and Dubious Politics. She was most likely added to the script for comedic reasons in order to frame Connie and JoJo as being in over their heads and desperately needing outside help. Un par de amas de casa crean una estafa de cupones de 40 millones de dlares. Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. "I'm saving money!" Vince Vaughn's other moviesincludemany big-budget action films and comedies such as The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Wedding Crashers. The Coupon Information Corporation got wind of the scheme, and brought it to the attention of investigators, which is how it eventually landed on the desk of Phoenix Police Sergeant David Lake. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. This installment focuses on the true story behind the crime comedy Queenpins. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Bud played an instrumental role in taking down the three women who inspired the Queenpins movie.Unlike Bud Miller, Hauser's character doesn't work for the Coupon Information Corporation (a not-for-profit association of consumer product manufacturers dedicated to fighting coupon misredemption and fraud). A bright spot is Bebe Rexha as a dark web expert who helps Connie and Jojo launder their money. The crime comedy is based on a counterfeit coupon empire that shocked law enforcement. While the characters in Queenpins are fictional, the crime they came up with is the real deal. The trail led to the Arizona coupon ring located in Phoenix. This includes forums and any public viewing areas or websites.". In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. Police in Phoenix, Arizona, announced the arrest of three women after they confiscated more than $25 million worth of fake coupons in a raid. Queenpinsdebuted in theaters on September 10, 2021. A charge for forgery was dropped. I'd call it a buddy film on a couple of levels: The main characters, Connie and Jo, and then the sub-characters, Simon and Ken. 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. However, they quickly learned that with a little crime, they could actually make money off of it. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. 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. As the Time article notes, couponing became popular not only in the wake of reality television shows like TLCs Extreme Couponing but also due to the economic reality in the wake of the Great Recession. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. The fake coupon game isnt a joke. Queenpins. It all sounded so unbelievable and over the top, and we knew the story had the makings for a great comedy., So while the women may not be thrilled to see their pasts dredged up and played for laughs on the big screen, Lake is hopeful that moviegoers wont come away with the wrong idea about creating or using counterfeit coupons. The women guaranteed a one-hundred-percent return rate if a store rejected one of their coupons. The bare-bones blueprint for the story is accurate; a small group of women make millions selling counterfeit coupons. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. The duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. Kiara frowned, watching the usually stoic Ame toss and turn in the driver's seat. , updated [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. Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha makes her feature film debut in the Queenpins movie. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. 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). -Investigative Consultants. "We knew, based on our research on past films, the more we dig into the real lives, it becomes much more serious, much more dramatic," Pullapilly told the, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. 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. In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. After he retired from the force, he took what he had learned from this case and others like it to found the Center on Shadow Economics, which works to mitigate the economic impact of black market crimes like counterfeit couponing. 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. Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. None of the characters are based on the real individuals involved, Gaudet told Coupons in the News. Read about the latest trends in couponing, get some new coupon alerts and keep up with stories across the country and around the world that have to do with coupons, the companies that issue them and the consumers who use them. Ramirezs case was back before a judge as recently as July, when her probation officer reported she was falling behind on her share of the nearly $1.3 million in restitution payments she and her cohorts were ordered to pay. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. The scheme came crashing down after forty businesses, including major companies like Proctor & Gamble, Hershey, and PepsiCo, filed fraud complaints. They included coupons for anything from Hershey bars to dog food to diapers. Her term of probation was recently extended for another five years, after she fell more than $4,000 behind in her restitution payments. By mail. [1] It was released on September 10, 2021. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. 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. When Connie discovers that a complaint letter about stale cereal earned her a coupon for a free box, it's a short road to finding a $2 an hour employee at the Mexico coupon printing plant (moved from the US to save money) who is willing to send them extras. Ramirez, too, declined to respond to requests for comment. You know what, I bet if a better actor were playing Ken Miller, thered probably be a little fine tooth combing involved with the world of loss prevention. He'd be scary if the film didn't make him the literal butt of the joke. But can you live with what you did?. But all were ordered to pay nearly $1.3 million in restitution to Procter & Gamble, just one of the many manufacturers whose coupons they counterfeited and sold. Judge Daniel Martin sentenced her to 24 months, as well as seven years probation. It is also revealed that Connie, after numerous unsuccessful attempts to conceive following her miscarriage, is finally pregnant through in vitro fertilization. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. You know what, I bet if a better actor were playing Ken Miller, thered probably be a little fine tooth combing involved with the world of loss prevention. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. 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. Ramirez, Fountain and Johnson were charged and convicted for running their very own $40 million counterfeit coupon scheme, for which theyre still paying the price and may well be for the rest of their lives. Upon realizing that they could get a coupon for a free item sent to them just by complaining to the manufacturer, they come up with a plan to smuggle and steal cases of those coupons, to then sell to people. They were just two normal women, who felt taken advantage of by major corporations, and genuinely wanted to help other women and families who were struggling. The FBI has crooks who commit moremanly crimes to track down. Ill go out on a limb here and predict that their once noble intentions go off the rails. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. For diapers and toothpaste. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Counterfeit Coupon Ringleader Pleads Guilty - Coupons in the News, Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons - Jill Cataldo. Related:Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like. Directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, the movie stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Vince Vaughn, Paul Walter Hauser, and Bebe Rexha. From left, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. Ramirez, the ringleader, was the only one sentenced to prison time two years while her counterparts got probation. The other queenpin is Connie's neighbor and close friend JoJo (Howell-Baptiste), who was a victim of identity theft that ruined her credit and her ability to apply for jobs. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. And they get a monthly reminder every time they make their latest restitution payment. Bud Miller is thought to have loosely inspired Paul Walter Hauser's character in the movie, Ken Miller. And the women wont be getting any windfall from Queenpins. In 2012, investigators found millions of dollars worth in forged coupons. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. The postal inspector tells Connie it's 1 year for every $100,000 earned fraudulently and that she's looking at 40 years. Once there, buyers would have access to an array of high-dollar coupons. But the coupons were high-quality counterfeits. The site's name was inspired by the legit coupon magazine Savvy Shopper, which is in no way related. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHO at the time. Her ancestry is Polish (mother) and German, English, Irish, and Scottish (father). "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". Queenpins: Dirigido por Aron Gaudet, Gita Pullapilly. 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. Now that theyve done their time and are working to pay off their debt, the women appear to be trying to put the incident behind them. Howell-Baptiste previously worked with Bell on Veronica Mars and The Good Place. This happened after various companies that had been impacted by the bogus coupons hired private investigators to uncover the origins of the coupons. The Coupon Queens cheated as many as 40 major manufacturers (Business Insider). Queenpins is a quirky crime comedy inspired by a trio of women who made millions of dollars in an elaborate coupon scam. Before playing Agent Park, he was inTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,Wreck-It Ralph, Bob's Burgers, and many others. Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. 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. 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. Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. Thecomedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. 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. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. Her next acting roleisfor the movie Confess, Fletch. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts to fight "complex coupon fraud schemes." He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Queenpins' true story is based on the couponing scam designed by three Arizona women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain. Yes. The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. (music by) Cinematography by Andrew Wehde . [3] In July 2020, it was announced Paul Walter Hauser and Vince Vaughn had joined the cast of the film. Ken: Yeah no, even if I wanted to switch, I think it's more important that your daughter learn a valuable lesson. It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. That's the psychological illogic of coupons, referred to in the movie as the "coupon high." I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. 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. After a shootout breaks out at a jazz club in the heart of town over a 'transaction' gone wrong, the Shrimps of Ocean Street and the Deadbeats of Industrial Way prepare to fight. The ringleader, Robin Ramirez, started selling bogus coupons as far back as 2007, and was eventually joined by accomplices Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain. Kristen Bell, her The Good Place co-star Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and singer Bebe Rexha are set to star in an upcoming comedy calledQueenpins, in which they play a trio of women who make bank in a coupon counterfeiting scam but the massive real-life fraud that inspired the film was no laughing matter. There's a reason Bell is making quips about crime. "This is to American companies who produced American products and hire American citizens" (DSA). [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. Will DiGravio is a Brooklyn-based critic, researcher, and video essayist, who has been a contributor at Film School Rejects since 2018. Coupon enthusiast Jill Cataldo warns, "Even though many places sell coupons online, you should never buy them. [Resumes eating snacks and looking out the window], Watch Queenpins: Gita Pullapilly & Aron Gaudet On Why Kristen Bell And Kirby Howell-Baptiste Were Right For Their Roles, Watch Queenpins: Kristen Bell On How She Became Involved In The Film, Watch Queenpins: Paul Walter Hauser On What Drew Him To The Film, Watch Queenpins: Kirby Howell-Baptiste On How She Became Involved In The Film, Watch Queenpins: Bebe Rexha On The Experience She's Had So Far Acting In Her First Film. Carly Stern For Dailymail.com, Dax Shepard wishes wife Kristen Bell a happy 41st birthday: 'Here's wishing you another 100 years in the saddle', Conwoman, 60, accused of posing as gem expert to swap diamonds worth 4.2m for pebbles was caught on CCTV outside Mayfair jeweller Boodles the day before heist, court hears. However, he doesn't appear to have inspired Vaughn's Kilmurry. (67) 6.3 1 h 50 min 2021 X-Ray R. A suburban homemaker and her best friend turn a hobby into a multi-million-dollar counterfeit coupon caper. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life." They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. Joel McHaleas Rick Kaminski- McHale plays Connie's husband who is worried about their growing amount of debt. They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." 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. 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 Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. Here . The comedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. [5] In October 2020, Bebe Rexha joined the cast of the film. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. On a message board, one fan raved about paying $7 for a mega pack of Pampers, with no max value meaning a shopper could get more than $50 worth of product free. The real-life Queenpins thought that the similar name would make their scheme appear more legitimate. the three womens 2012 arrests for coupon fraud, the major motion picture they inspired is set to open in theaters this Friday, were ordered to pay nearly $1.3 million in restitution to Procter & Gamble, REVIEW: Queenpins Takes Coupon Counterfeiting to Extremes, The Cast and Crew of Queenpins Take a Crash Course in Coupons, Coupon Industry Gets Ready For Its Closeup, In Queenpins, A Q&A With the Creators of Queenpins, the Counterfeit Coupon Caper. -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. However, Ken Miller, a hapless loss prevention officer for the A&G Family Marts stores in the Southwestern United States, learns about the coupons and the losses several companies are taking, and pressures his superiors before ultimately deciding to handle the case himself. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Kristen Bell And Kirby Howell-Baptiste Run A Multi-Million Dollar Coupon Scam In The 'Queenpins' Trailer. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. A look at the counterculture movement that became the religious right. But thats just Connie and Jojo. They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. One account had more than $2 million dollars. They start buying things like sports cars, boats, planes, and guns, but Tina then criticizes their overspending and tells them that because their money was always clean, their purchases are just making them look more suspicious, instructing them to withdraw money from the bank in small increments and to sell off all their big purchases. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. Dayo OkeniyiasEarl - Okeniyi plays Earl, who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, which results in a hilarious interrogation scene with Ken and Simon. "I am not spending money!" David Lake, who was in charge of the coupon investigation at the Phoenix Police Department, "The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type stuff." Mugshots of the real women behind Queenpins are displayed below. The filmmakers are not trying to hurt anybody, or glorify the crime, theyre just trying to make a funny story. But, he cautioned, we cant say that it doesnt matter that a person is only selling coupons when we look at the amount of economic damage that does., Counterfeiters like the three Phoenix women, and the many customers who bought coupons from them, are fully aware that what theyre doing is wrong, Lake believes. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. The three women, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson, mostly sold free-product coupons. JoJo combines two people in real life:Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson. What is the Japanese language plot outline for Queenpins (2021)? Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. 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. 'Queenpins' Plot Summary The idea started just as a way for their two families to make ends meet as they struggled to pay the bills. 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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.. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Woman on Plane: Hey sorry, uhm, would you mind if we switched seats, just for this last part? 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.. Though most of their fraudulent earnings have been confiscated, the pair have hundreds of thousands of dollars from their illegal activities stashed away, and JoJo starts a relationship with Earl and relocates to Montenegro, a non-extradition country, where the pair can immediately restart the scam upon Connie's release.
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