They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. 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." And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. 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. Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. Despite the absurdity of the synopsis, believe it or not,Queenpins is based on a true story. 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. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. Queenpins is playing in theaters with plans to stream on Paramount+ in the near future. These are free item coupons,' Police Sgt. The three women, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson, mostly sold free-product coupons. Jack McBrayerasAgent Park - McBrayer has extensive experience in comedy. 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. 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. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . Lets break it down. Afterwards, the duo begins their own website and small business "Savvy Super Saver", which helps them sell numerous coupons and generate profit. He also doesn't work closely with the FBI. We dont want people to think they can do this, he said. The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. She and JoJo then learn that the coupons originate from an Advanced Solutions factory in Chihuahua, Mexico, deciding to travel there and collect the coupons to redistribute to other mothers and wives. Ramirez, too, declined to respond to requests for comment. Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly's Queenpins concerns two Arizona suburbanites, Connie (Kristen Bell) and JoJo (Kirby . 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. But lets be honest: its hard to feel too sorry for the corporations in this instance. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. While the movie is focused on two women, there were three at the heart of the real coupon ring. All three women were arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and counterfeiting. 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. 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 is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. According to Coupons in the News, Ramierz started selling counterfeit coupons as early as 2007, and was eventually joined by the other two women. The ringleader, Robin Ramirez, started selling bogus coupons as far back as 2007, and was eventually joined by accomplices Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain. Bud Miller, who was the Executive Director of the Coupon Information Corporation (CIC), told money-saving columnist Jill Cataldo, "Initial contact was made by a SWAT team removing the front door of a residence by force. Johnson helped package and ship the coupons to customers, and Fountain placed hologram stickers on some of them to make them look more legitimate. 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. 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. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? she says. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. 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. 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). Carly Stern For Dailymail.com Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. 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. Bell has extensive experience in Broadway, television, and film, leading successful TV series like Veronica Mars and The Good Place. She really likes to watch out the window as we land and it helps calm her down. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life." 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. The film revolves around an ordinary suburban housewife's desire to forge her own path, which ultimately leads her to the world of scams. Dave Lake told CBS5 later. Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste, playing the lead roles, are as spectacular as ever. 'Queenpins' Review: Suburban Scammers Two cash-strapped neighbors devise a multimillion-dollar coupon swindle in this mildly entertaining comedy. But court records indicate that she has not quite been able to put this case behind her. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. A real disc jockey inspired Robin Williams classic character. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. 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. The scheme came crashing down after forty businesses, including major companies like Proctor & Gamble, Hershey, and PepsiCo, filed fraud complaints. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. [5] In October 2020, Bebe Rexha joined the cast of the film. Required fields are marked *. 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. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). 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. [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. We just wanted to create our own characters.. 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. The details were first revealed after a Tuesday morning raid in July 2012 by the Phoenix Arizona Police Department. You could only place an order if you had a referral from a current customer, and you had to pay for your order with a Green Dot Moneypak (prepaid debit card). The real-life Queenpins: How three Arizona women were busted with $25 MILLION in counterfeit coupons they were selling online - and inspired a new movie starring Kristen Bell They included coupons for anything from Hershey bars to dog food to diapers. And thats why they make excuses, he said. 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. It was then that they learned of the fakes that were in circulation. And the women wont be getting any windfall from Queenpins. Their unbelievable success eventually catches the attention of law enforcement. 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. Written and directed byAron GaudetandGita Pullapilly, Queenpins is about two housewives who created a $40 million coupon scam. The two women in the movie, Connie Kaminski (Kristen Bell) and JoJo Johnson (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), are not directly based on any of the real-life women.Kristen Bell's character's background of being a former Olympic race walker who turns to couponing after having no luck getting pregnant (and spending tens of thousands on in vitro treatments) is fictional, as is Kirby Howell-Baptiste's character's unsuccessful efforts to make it as a vlogger. No. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Placeco-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. In 2012, investigators found millions of dollars worth in forged coupons. A quarter of the U.S. will fall inside an extreme heat belt. The movie, which premieres September 10, offers a comical take on the true story ofRobin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson of Phoenix, Arizona, who were arrested in 2012 for their years-long counterfeitingracket and ordered to pay P&G millions in restitution. Neither of them responded to requests for comment about their case, and how or whether they have managed to move on from it. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. Yes. It is also revealed that Connie, after numerous unsuccessful attempts to conceive following her miscarriage, is finally pregnant through in vitro fertilization. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. The bare-bones blueprint for the story is accurate; a small group of women make millions selling counterfeit coupons. David Lake said. The FBI has crooks who commit moremanly crimes to track down. 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. 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. It's not a seamless fit. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. 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. Nick CassavetesasCaptain Pain - Cassavetes plays Captain Pain in Queenpins. Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. The site's name was inspired by the legit coupon magazine Savvy Shopper, which is in no way related. 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." JoJo combines two people in real life:Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson. A charge for forgery was dropped. However, he doesn't appear to have inspired Vaughn's Kilmurry. Yes. 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. FREE FIRE TOP 3 GAME REAL CHARACTER para SAMSUNG A3,A5,A6 A7,J2,J5,J7,S5,S6 S7,S9,A10,A20 A30,A50 The trios many customers never faced charges but they might have. 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. 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. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. 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. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. $100,000 x 40 is 4 million not 40 million. 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. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. 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. 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. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. [6] In December 2020, Dayo Okeniyi, Joel McHale, Nick Cassavetes, Michael Masini, Paul Rust, Eduardo Franco, Marc Evan Jackson, Lidia Porto, Greta Oglesby, Jack McBrayer and Annie Mumolo joined the cast of the film. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Coupons wasnt even the biggest, most interesting case I did. She suggestsmaking fake identities and multiple accounts to store their earnings. Vince Vaughnas Simon Kilmurry -Vince Vaughn plays Simon Kilmurry, a U.S. postal inspector who works with Ken to investigate the coupon scam. Some customers became aware of the bust after they tried to use the coupons and they didn't work. Ken: Yeah no, even if I wanted to switch, I think it's more important that your daughter learn a valuable lesson. One local law enforcement official at the time told the news: The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. While it might seem outrageous and is played for laughs in the movie, in July 2012, a SWAT team really did raid the Phoenix residences of the three women who played a part in the counterfeit coupon operation. 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. You cant make this stuff up and the filmmakers didnt have to. We dont want people to think its funny. Credit: Courtesy STX Films "They're also some of the best writers I've ever worked with. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. While the characters in the 2021 movieQueenpins call out systemic inequality and the downfalls of capitalism, it's unlikely that their real-life counterparts shared these same sentiments. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. Details of the true story at the heart of Queenpinswere first revealed in July 2012. 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. That's the psychological illogic of coupons, referred to in the movie as the "coupon high." In July of 2012, police raided Ramirez's home andseized more than $25 million worth of fake coupons. She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows" (Yahoo Finance). For diapers and toothpaste. Click here to get in touch, or for information about advertising on the site. ', 'These people aren't buying a few coupons from this site,' Officer James Holmes added. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Queenpins, directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, adapts a real-life story and presents it most humorously and entertainingly. (music by) Cinematography by Andrew Wehde . Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. For the most part, yes. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. The Phoenix Police Department conducted undercover operations in which they purchased the counterfeit coupons. The group would have fake coupons made oversees, including reproductions of legitimate coupons and made-up ones with steep savings. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. A judge sentenced Ramirez to twenty-four months in prison and seven years probation. [1] It was released on September 10, 2021. They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. Many of the details of the real story have been changed, including the names, but also backstories to make the characters more sympathetic. While JoJo is released on bail, Rick visits Connie only so he can admonish her, having been informed by Simon that she and JoJo have defrauded over 240 companies of tens of millions of dollars. 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. He'd be scary if the film didn't make him the literal butt of the joke. Paul Walter Hauser's character, Ken Miller, seems to be a very loosely-inspired caricature of Bud Miller, the Executive Director of the Coupon Information Corporation (CIC). 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. Kiara frowned, watching the usually stoic Ame toss and turn in the driver's seat. The film is based on the true story of three Arizona women arrested in 2012 for a $40 million fraud involving coupons. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount.
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