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The site's critics consensus reads: "Lowbrow humor and inconsistent storytelling undercut Queenpins' talented cast, making this coupon-clipping comedy a disappointingly poor bargain. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. One account had more than $2 million dollars. 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. Coupons wasnt even the biggest, most interesting case I did. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. The ladies account is frozen due to suspicious activity, so Connie realizes they need to prove their business is legitimate. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 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 details were first revealed after a Tuesday morning raid in July 2012 by the Phoenix Arizona Police Department. "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. Why the USPS? They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. [3] In July 2020, it was announced Paul Walter Hauser and Vince Vaughn had joined the cast of the film. Thats money in the bank.'. Authorities later estimated that the coupon ring cost corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. Connie, JoJo, Simon (Vince Vaughn) and Ken (Paul Walter Hauser) arewhat Aron and I feelwhat we're all often feeling in this life: undervalued and discounted. The coupons are being sent through the mail and the FBI does not take it seriouslybecause it's coupons. 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. Judge Rosa Mroz of Maricopa County Superior Court ordered all three to payProcter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Ill go out on a limb here and predict that their once noble intentions go off the rails. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. Related:Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like. 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. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. 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. Talk about extreme couponing! They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. 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. That's not how the world works y'know. The film revolves around an ordinary suburban housewife's desire to forge her own path, which ultimately leads her to the world of scams. 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. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. Your email address will not be published. Queenpins, directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, adapts a real-life story and presents it most humorously and entertainingly. 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. 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. Capitalism always knows how to win. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. A judge sentenced Ramirez to twenty-four months in prison and seven years 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. Con Kristen Bell, Lidia Porto, Joel McHale, Kirby. Howell-Baptiste previously worked with Bell on Veronica Mars and The Good Place. 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. 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. It appeared the women were making so much money, they werent even sure how to spend it all. She was the only one of the three to receive jail time. Ame hissed, "Getting partnered with someone like me. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. We dont want people to think its funny. But its funny that its gotten so much attention, Lake said. Yes. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. 17:42 EST 23 Jul 2021. , updated 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. If you watch the movie 'Queenpins,' you will see, what I believe, is the first film in Hollywood to feature AEW in the film." Furthermore, Paul Walter Hauser reveals that he has actually had minimal wrestling training with several names from The Nightmare Factory including Anthony Ogogo, Preston Vance, and even WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas . The fake coupon game isnt a joke. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Before playing Agent Park, he was inTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,Wreck-It Ralph, Bob's Burgers, and many others. 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. 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. 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. Authorities eventually traced Ramirezs activity back to 2007. 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. "This is to American companies who produced American products and hire American citizens" (DSA). It's not a seamless fit. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. According to Time magazine, they went undercover and purchased coupons as part of their effort to locate the source. Related:Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide. Queenpins (2021) Rated R for language throughout. But nobody really thought it was a big deal, because, you know, its coupons.. Real Stories is an ongoing column about the true stories behind movies and TV shows. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. I have never purchased coupons from a clipping service or an auction site." They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. Despite the absurdity of the synopsis, believe it or not,Queenpins is based on a true story. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . 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. 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. 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. Bell will next be lending her voice to the animated show Do, Re & Mi, as well as appearing in the miniseries The Woman in the House. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. She does not seem to take it too seriously, telling us that "this is a story about little old coupons.". 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. "These aren't 50-cent-off coupons. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. All three women were arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and counterfeiting. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. Okeniyi appeared in The Hunger Games and Run Sweetheart Run, and his next role is in Greek Freak. Then-forty-year-old Robin Ramirez led the group, which included Marilyn Johnson, then-fifty-four, and Amiko Amy Fountain, then-forty-two. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts to fight "complex coupon fraud schemes." 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. 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. "You are spending money we don't have," her husband says, looking at what was once supposed to be a nursery, now converted into what looks like a grocery warehouse. Law-enforcement authorities, manufacturers, and retailers advise against purchasing coupons. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? These are free-item coupons," Phoenix Police Sgt. (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. A quarter of the U.S. will fall inside an extreme heat belt. Yes. In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. None of the characters are based on the real individuals involved, Gaudet told Coupons in the News. Tempe Tina does not have a real-life counterpart. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. A charge for forgery was dropped. While the movie is focused on two women, there were three at the heart of the real coupon ring. 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. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. 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. These are free item coupons,' Police Sgt. 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 Lake determinedly led his team in pursuing the case. The idea started just as a way for their two families to make ends meet as they struggled to pay the bills. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. But thats just Connie and Jojo. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. 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. 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. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. 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. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. But the coupons were high-quality counterfeits. 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." Joel McHaleas Rick Kaminski- McHale plays Connie's husband who is worried about their growing amount of debt. The duo bond on their mission, with Simon sympathizing with Ken's unwavering devotion. 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. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. The real-life Queenpins thought that the similar name would make their scheme appear more legitimate. 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." I try to work with police chiefs, at the state and local level, to come up with ways of explaining how important protecting our business infrastructure is, he said. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. 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. That's the psychological illogic of coupons, referred to in the movie as the "coupon high." The ringleader, Robin Ramirez, started selling bogus coupons as far back as 2007, and was eventually joined by accomplices Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. In 2012, investigators found millions of dollars worth in forged coupons. 110 minutes Cast Kristen Bell Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Paul Walter Hauser Vince Vaughn Joel McHale Bebe Rexha as Tempe Tina Dayo Okeniyi Nick Cassavetes Michael Masini Paul Rust Eduardo Franco Marc Evan Jackson Lidia Porto Greta Oglesby Jack McBrayer Annie Mumolo Director Aron Gaudet The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. The trail led to the Arizona coupon ring located in Phoenix. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. There's a reason Bell is making quips about crime. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. -TIME. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Her ancestry is Polish (mother) and German, English, Irish, and Scottish (father). And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. 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.. The only real-life individual you could say was better off after the case than before, is the man who cracked the case. HBOs Rain Dogs Finds Humor, Despair in the Working-Class Mum at its Center, Berlinale Highlights, Part Three: Hummingbirds, Concrete Valley, Afire, The Oneness of All Things: On Sofia Alaouis Animalia, New York International Childrens Film Festival Opens Window to the World. Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. He described digging through trash cans, conducting surveillance, and ultimately kicking in the doors of the three womens homes, where they found a treasure trove of evidence coupons, cash, guns, along with what they later discovered was an airplane hangar filled with sports cars, a fully decked-out RV and a 40-foot speedboat. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. Queenpins. Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. See production, box office & company info. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. The movie takes a more lighthearted angle on the real story, having to combine ortweak some of the people involved in order towork better as a film. The leader, Ramirez, pleaded guilty to fraud, counterfeiting, and illegal control of an enterprise. These companies included Hershey, Procter & Gamble, and the Coupon Information Corporation. US Postal Inspector Simon Kilmurry (Vince Vaughn) appears to be entirely fictional. 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 Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. By 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. A real disc jockey inspired Robin Williams classic character. They included coupons for anything from Hershey bars to dog food to diapers. 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. The three women, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson, mostly sold free-product coupons. For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. And why Bell and co-star Paul Walter Houser didnt talk to the real people behind the characters they play. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. And they get a monthly reminder every time they make their latest restitution payment. It is also revealed that Connie, after numerous unsuccessful attempts to conceive following her miscarriage, is finally pregnant through in vitro fertilization. But thats just Connie and Jojo. Afterwards, the duo begins their own website and small business "Savvy Super Saver", which helps them sell numerous coupons and generate profit. The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. That includes the details about the women and the two men chasing after them. The counterfeiting scheme was previously featured in the. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. Nick CassavetesasCaptain Pain - Cassavetes plays Captain Pain in Queenpins. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. Yes, like the grocery store coupons that come with the Sunday paper. 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? The other two women pleaded guilty to a single charge of counterfeiting. Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debtburying her and her husband. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. However, they quickly learned that with a little crime, they could actually make money off of it. Queenpins: Dirigido por Aron Gaudet, Gita Pullapilly. 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 vehicles included a custom Corvette that was worth over $150,000. Written and directed byAron GaudetandGita Pullapilly, Queenpins is about two housewives who created a $40 million coupon scam. According to Sgt. 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. 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 film is based on the true story of three Arizona women arrested in 2012 for a $40 million fraud involving coupons. A Loss Prevention Officer and U.S. 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 three real-life Coupon Queens carried out their counterfeit operation in Phoenix, Arizona where they lived. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. For the most part, yes. 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. Being clever with coupons makes her feel like she is making a financial contribution. 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. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. Goodbye coupons, hello high prices. Her next acting roleisfor the movie Confess, Fletch. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly did fly to Arizona in 2018 to interview the real detective who worked the case. Their unbelievable success eventually catches the attention of law enforcement. 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. 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.. 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. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. Shedisplays considerable comedy chopsin films like Bad Momsand is also well-known for her role as Anna inDisney's Frozen franchise. [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. But during Proctor & Gamble'sroutine audits ofthird-party coupon processors, the discovered fakes in circulation and hired private investigators to do some more digging.