A judge sentenced Ramirez to twenty-four months in prison and seven years probation. No. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. In May 2019, it was announced Kristen Bell and Leslie Jones had joined the cast of the film, with Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly directing from a screenplay they wrote. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. 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. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. $100,000 x 40 is 4 million not 40 million. But its funny that its gotten so much attention, Lake said. 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. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. That's not how the world works y'know. Queenpinshits theaters on September 10th and will be available to stream via Paramount+ on September 30th. His filmography contains works such as Face/Off, The Astronaut's Wife, and The Hangover Part II, and he will next be appearing inThe Ogilvy Fortune. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Because at Coupons In The News, we believe an educated consumer is the best couponer! 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. US Postal Inspector Simon Kilmurry (Vince Vaughn) appears to be entirely fictional. [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. She suggestsmaking fake identities and multiple accounts to store their earnings. 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. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? Thats money in the bank.'. 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 the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. [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. Kiara frowned, watching the usually stoic Ame toss and turn in the driver's seat. Judge Daniel Martin sentenced her to 24 months, as well as seven years probation. This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. In February of 2013,Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise, though a forgery charge was dropped. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. [4] In September 2020, Kirby Howell-Baptiste joined the cast of the film, replacing Jones, with Ben Stiller joining as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner, with STX Entertainment set to distribute. Being clever with coupons makes her feel like she is making a financial contribution. 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. Bell plays former Olympian and bored. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. 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 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. From writer-directors Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, the film stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Ba. These are free item coupons,' Police Sgt. Queenpins. 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 Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson in QUEENPINS. 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. 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. Un par de amas de casa crean una estafa de cupones de 40 millones de dlares. Why the USPS? Neither of them responded to requests for comment about their case, and how or whether they have managed to move on from it. Yes. 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. Coupons wasnt even the biggest, most interesting case I did. Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. Bell has extensive experience in Broadway, television, and film, leading successful TV series like Veronica Mars and The Good Place. Bell plays Connie, whose life is smaller and sadder than she expected, following her early success as a gold-medal-winning Olympic athlete (but in a low-profile event, race-walking). For the most part, yes. The crime comedy is based on a counterfeit coupon empire that shocked law enforcement. Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. While it's hard to know how many customers knew they might be engaging in criminal activity, there were a few red flags that should have at least made them suspicious. 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He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. 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. Related:Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like. After tracing the origins of the ring to Phoenix, the FBI then teamed up with local law enforcement to bust the group. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. In this film we have one of the world's most adorable people, Kristen Bell, with her delightful "The Good Place" co-star Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two women who almost make a multi-million dollar crime seem cute. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . 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. 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. "We're Robin Hood," the queenpins reassure themselves. Her sacrifices have never been appreciated and she has been overlooked by her husband Rick, an IRS senior audit specialist, her loved ones and the rest of society. Slapstick . Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha makes her feature film debut in the Queenpins movie. Others nabbed coupons for free pet food, diapers, and household goods from as many as 40 major manufacturers, including PepsiCo and Hershey. 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. The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. That includes the details about the women and the two men chasing after them. Queenpins. Some movies are based on true stories, some movies are inspired by true stories. 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 installment focuses on the true story behind the crime comedy Queenpins. "These aren't 50-cent-off coupons. As one law enforcement official put it, these were not the fifty-cents-off coupons one might find in their mailbox. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. By 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. 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. "We're talking about anywhere from $400 to $600 million in loss," said Officer James Holmes of the Phoenix Police Department. 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." No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. 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. In 2012, investigators found millions of dollars worth in forged coupons. The group would have fake coupons made oversees, including reproductions of legitimate coupons and made-up ones with steep savings. She really likes to watch out the window as we land and it helps calm her down. Kirby Howell-Baptiste co-stars as JoJo Johnson, an aspiring YouTube vlogger and Connie's partner in crime. They enjoy their newfound wealth, only to have their criminal enterprise crumble when they are investigated, raided, and arrested. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. Written and directed byAron GaudetandGita Pullapilly, Queenpins is about two housewives who created a $40 million coupon scam. Howell-Baptiste previously worked with Bell on Veronica Mars and The Good Place. The cast, with Kristen Bell and Paul Walter Hauser, is outstanding The Arizona women, Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, pleaded guilty, Ramirez to. "I'm saving money!" 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. Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. She does not seem to take it too seriously, telling us that "this is a story about little old coupons.". Mumolo was an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter for the romantic comedy Bridesmaids. In July of 2012, police raided Ramirez's home andseized more than $25 million worth of fake coupons. And why Bell and co-star Paul Walter Houser didnt talk to the real people behind the characters they play. 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.. 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.. Bebe Rexha is the tech genius, Tempe Tina. 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. Thats the type of money they had.. In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. Shedisplays considerable comedy chopsin films like Bad Momsand is also well-known for her role as Anna inDisney's Frozen franchise. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. Ill go out on a limb here and predict that their once noble intentions go off the rails. Queenpins, directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, adapts a real-life story and presents it most humorously and entertainingly. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Thecomedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. According to Sgt. 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. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. Johnson helped package and ship the coupons to customers, and Fountain placed hologram stickers on some of them to make them look more legitimate. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. A reality television series about this trend had an episode on the Arizona coupon case. 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 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. The other two women pleaded guilty to a single charge of counterfeiting. Vaughn is also currently appearing in the series Curb Your Enthusiasm. But thats just Connie and Jojo. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. For diapers and toothpaste. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? Queenpins (2021) Rated R for language throughout. Two women create a $40 million coupon scam. It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. So even though the events of nearly a decade ago seem like old news to the rest of us, its something the culprits continue to live with. Just to make him more sympathetic, in addition to the $2 an hour, he has a pregnant wife who also works at the factory. Woman on Plane: Hey sorry, uhm, would you mind if we switched seats, just for this last part? Will DiGravio is a Brooklyn-based critic, researcher, and video essayist, who has been a contributor at Film School Rejects since 2018. And it does seem like Queenpinswill take a comedic look at the inequality underpinning the counterfeit coupon market. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". One account had more than $2 million dollars. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise. [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. She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. Credit: Courtesy STX Films. When we use coupons, we feel like we're getting away with something, like we're smart and special. It was then that they learned of the fakes that were in circulation. But can you live with what you did?. Instead, he becomes highly frustrated when the FBI blows off his concerns. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. Paul Walter Hauseras Ken Miller -Paul Walter Hauser plays Loss Prevention Officer Ken Miller, whoserather unexciting job takes a turn when he discovers the fake coupon scheme. 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. Ken: Yeah no, even if I wanted to switch, I think it's more important that your daughter learn a valuable lesson. Now, with their story back in the spotlight, theres no escaping it, even nearly ten years later. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." That's one reasonbeyond saving moneythe scam was so successful. While the movie is focused on two women, there were three at the heart of the real coupon ring. A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. "I am not spending money!" David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. 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. She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. Which brings us to Queenpins, a based-on-a-true-story comedy about the suburbanite besties behind the largest coupon counterfeit scam in U.S. history. Produced by Music by Siddhartha Khosla . And they get a monthly reminder every time they make their latest restitution payment. 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.. 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. They were a part of a fast-rising category referred to as "pink collar criminals," "nice" suburban women who commit non-violent crimes, mostly fraud or embezzling from businesses or from community organizations like the PTA. This is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. The last 20 minutes lose sight of whatever point they are trying to make beyond the fun of seeing people get away with breaking the rules.

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