She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. Hauser previouslyworked with Howell-Baptiste in Cruella and also appeared in I, Tonya. Kristen Bell And Kirby Howell-Baptiste Run A Multi-Million Dollar Coupon Scam In The 'Queenpins' Trailer. 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. 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. Its that simple. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. Some of the coupon enthusiasts featured on the TLC show Extreme Couponing routinely purchased coupons from clipping services.In response to the Arizona coupon counterfeiting ring that inspired the Queenpins movie, the CIC's Bud Miller stated, "Coupon buyers expose themselves to the possibility of becoming involved with counterfeits, stolen property, or other criminal activities. The scheme came crashing down after forty businesses, including major companies like Proctor & Gamble, Hershey, and PepsiCo, filed fraud complaints. He'd be scary if the film didn't make him the literal butt of the joke. She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. A look at the counterculture movement that became the religious right. 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 Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. 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. Review: Scamming Audiences with Sophomoric Humor and Dubious Politics. Neither of them responded to requests for comment about their case, and how or whether they have managed to move on from it. 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. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. This is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. From left, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. Counterfeit Coupon Ringleader Pleads Guilty - Coupons in the News, Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons - Jill Cataldo. Because at Coupons In The News, we believe an educated consumer is the best couponer! She really likes to watch out the window as we land and it helps calm her down. It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. 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. Jack McBrayerasAgent Park - McBrayer has extensive experience in comedy. For diapers and toothpaste. "We're talking about anywhere from $400 to $600 million in loss," said Officer James Holmes of the Phoenix Police Department. In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. 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. They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. Judge Rosa Mroz of Maricopa County Superior Court ordered all three to payProcter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha makes her feature film debut in the Queenpins movie. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. The postal inspector tells Connie it's 1 year for every $100,000 earned fraudulently and that she's looking at 40 years. Un par de amas de casa crean una estafa de cupones de 40 millones de dlares. 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. Authorities also seized twenty-two assault weapons and twenty-one vehicles, including a forty-foot boat, in the raid. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. 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). Capitalism always knows how to win. This installment focuses on the true story behind the crime comedy Queenpins. 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 reality, thewomen seemed to have a better grasp of how to stay under the radar than the movie portrays, which enabled them to avoid police detection for so long. However, they quickly learned that with a little crime, they could actually make money off of it. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. -TIME. Some movies are based on true stories, some movies are inspired by true stories. The counterfeiting scheme was previously featured in the. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Carly Stern For Dailymail.com A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam. 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.. Woman on Plane: Hey sorry, uhm, would you mind if we switched seats, just for this last part? Bud Miller is thought to have loosely inspired Paul Walter Hauser's character in the movie, Ken Miller. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. None of the characters are based on the real individuals involved, Gaudet told Coupons in the News. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. The three real-life Coupon Queens carried out their counterfeit operation in Phoenix, Arizona where they lived. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. McHaleis perhaps best known for his role inCommunity, and will next be starring in the series Black Box. Talk about extreme couponing! The film revolves around an ordinary suburban housewife's desire to forge her own path, which ultimately leads her to the world of scams. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. 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. 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. You don't always get your way. (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. On the real Queenpins website, SavvyShopperSite.com, they sold free-product coupons, with the caveat that you must spend at least $50 on coupons per order. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women, Queenpins Trailer: Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste Are the Robin Hood of Coupons (Video), Netflixs The Sandman TV Series Casts Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death. She has previously appeared with Bell on Bad Moms, buther claim to fame has been in screenwriting. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. By Annie MumoloasCrystal - Mumolo appears in the minor role of Crystal. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. Ramirez, the ringleader, was the only one sentenced to prison time two years while her counterparts got probation. Yes. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. She has spent her life chatting about popular media to anyone who would listen, even appearing on conference panels to discuss her favorite (and least favorite) shows and movies. And why Bell and co-star Paul Walter Houser didnt talk to the real people behind the characters they play. Ken: Yeah no, even if I wanted to switch, I think it's more important that your daughter learn a valuable lesson. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. 17:42 EST 23 Jul 2021. Kirby Howell-Baptiste co-stars as JoJo Johnson, an aspiring YouTube vlogger and Connie's partner in crime. You cant make this stuff up and the filmmakers didnt have to. For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. But thats just Connie and Jojo. 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. 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. But Lake determinedly led his team in pursuing the case. All three women were arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and counterfeiting. 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. Being clever with coupons makes her feel like she is making a financial contribution. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? At $300 a month, even if she stays current in her payments, it will take more than 120 years to pay off her share of the restitution order. The cruelty-free sacred oil that will anoint Charles as King: Monarch breaks Coronation Day tradition with 'I have nothing to say to you': Father of Mallory Beach - who was killed in a boat crash while Alex Murdaugh's Alex Murdaugh is seen with his prison buzz cut as he starts two life sentences without parole for killing his Family 'mortified' after being thrown out of Mother Goose panto for bringing their baby with them, after venue Is this Britain's most despicable man? 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. After complaining about cereal gone stale, the pair receives dozens of freebies, inspiring them to hatch an illegal coupon club scheme. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. 'Sometimes I would come out with three carts of groceries.'. In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. 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. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. Queenpins Cast And Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From, Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like, Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide, Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. Queenpins. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Hershey's Canada releases HER for SHE bars featuring a trans activist, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race. They encounter married employees Alejandro and Rosa Diaz, who agree to send them the unused coupons. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. But court records indicate that she has not quite been able to put this case behind her. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. Lets break it down. However, everything that's built onto this premise in the movie is almost entirely fictional. Your email address will not be published. I'd recommend this film for unwinding on a Friday night after a long week. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly did fly to Arizona in 2018 to interview the real detective who worked the case. 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 comedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. 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. 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.. It isvery pleasurable in the moment but likely to leave you feeling empty and a little queasy. "I'm saving money!" They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Real Stories is an ongoing column about the true stories behind movies and TV shows. The counterfeiting scheme was previously featured in theCBS TV docu-series Pink Collar Crimes in 2018. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. 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. 17:23 EST 23 Jul 2021 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. 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. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). (edited by) Casting By Ben Harris Allison Jones Production Design by Jennifer Klide Art Direction by Adri Siriwatt Costume Design by Julie Carnahan Makeup Department Production Management Mike Upton . Authorities later estimated that the coupon ring cost corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. [5] In October 2020, Bebe Rexha joined the cast of the film. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. The site's name was inspired by the legit coupon magazine Savvy Shopper, which is in no way related. Users had to be 'invited' to join the site, and fans raved about the impossibly good deals, like a coupon for a free pizza worth $7 that would cost shoppers just $1. But can you live with what you did?. 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. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. Afterwards, the duo begins their own website and small business "Savvy Super Saver", which helps them sell numerous coupons and generate profit. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. It's not a seamless fit. That's not how the world works y'know. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. 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. These are free item coupons,' Police Sgt. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. These companies included Hershey, Procter & Gamble, and the Coupon Information Corporation. The ringleader, Robin Ramirez, started selling bogus coupons as far back as 2007, and was eventually joined by accomplices Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain. Nick CassavetesasCaptain Pain - Cassavetes plays Captain Pain in Queenpins. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. A quarter of the U.S. will fall inside an extreme heat belt. Dave Lake told CBS5 later. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. Kiara frowned, watching the usually stoic Ame toss and turn in the driver's seat. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. They enjoy their newfound wealth, only to have their criminal enterprise crumble when they are investigated, raided, and arrested. 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. Before playing Agent Park, he was inTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,Wreck-It Ralph, Bob's Burgers, and many others. Though the pair face forty-years-to-life, the companies that they victimized clandestinely press the courts for leniency to avoid bad press, resulting in ten days imprisonment plus one year of probation for JoJo and eleven months incarceration (parole eligible in eight) for Connie. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. 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. Thats the type of money they had.. Johnson helped package and ship the coupons to customers, and Fountain placed hologram stickers on some of them to make them look more legitimate.

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