No Offense, But These 2 Big Retailers Aren't The Cheapest Ad MoneyWise. Lets break it down. 'Its like Robin Hood,' Howell-Baptiste's character says in the trailer, summing up the coupon fraud plan. But during Proctor & Gamble'sroutine audits ofthird-party coupon processors, the discovered fakes in circulation and hired private investigators to do some more digging. [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. Yes. "We're Robin Hood," the queenpins reassure themselves. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows. Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. Yes. 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). [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shedisplays considerable comedy chopsin films like Bad Momsand is also well-known for her role as Anna inDisney's Frozen franchise. Ken: Yeah no, even if I wanted to switch, I think it's more important that your daughter learn a valuable lesson. He also doesn't work closely with the FBI. -TIME. Next:Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. They also turned to the Coupon Information Corporation. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. 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. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. 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. -Daily Mail. The group would have fake coupons made oversees, including reproductions of legitimate coupons and made-up ones with steep savings. 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. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Others nabbed coupons for free pet food, diapers, and household goods from as many as 40 major manufacturers, including PepsiCo and Hershey. What is the Japanese language plot outline for Queenpins (2021)? Some customers became aware of the bust after they tried to use the coupons and they didn't work. And thats why they make excuses, he said. 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. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Yes, like the grocery store coupons that come with the Sunday paper. No. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHO at the time. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. Procter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Produced by Music by Siddhartha Khosla . But can you live with what you did?. 'Queenpins' Review: Suburban Scammers Two cash-strapped neighbors devise a multimillion-dollar coupon swindle in this mildly entertaining comedy. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. After a shootout breaks out at a jazz club in the heart of town over a 'transaction' gone wrong, the Shrimps of Ocean Street and the Deadbeats of Industrial Way prepare to fight. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. She has previously appeared with Bell on Bad Moms, buther claim to fame has been in screenwriting. 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. This installment focuses on the true story behind the crime comedy Queenpins. 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. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. Queenpins is a quirky crime comedy inspired by a trio of women who made millions of dollars in an elaborate coupon scam. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. 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. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. And the women wont be getting any windfall from Queenpins. 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 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. Watching "Queenpins" is like eating grocery store birthday cake. The idea started just as a way for their two families to make ends meet as they struggled to pay the bills. 'Sometimes I would come out with three carts of groceries.'. Included in the seizures were $25,000,000 worth of fake coupons, 22 assault weapons, and 21 vehicles including a 40 foot boat. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. You can't make this stuff up - and the filmmakers didn't have to. 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. She spends her free time drinking coffee and trying to resist the urge to buy any new books before reading the many she already owns. Ramirez, too, declined to respond to requests for comment. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Hauser previouslyworked with Howell-Baptiste in Cruella and also appeared in I, Tonya. Coupon enthusiast Jill Cataldo warns, "Even though many places sell coupons online, you should never buy them. However, he doesn't appear to have inspired Vaughn's Kilmurry. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. 'Queenpins' Plot Summary Counterfeit Coupon Ringleader Pleads Guilty - Coupons in the News, Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons - Jill Cataldo. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. They were charged with counterfeiting, forgery, operating an illegal enterprise, money laundering, and other violations. Law-enforcement authorities, manufacturers, and retailers advise against purchasing coupons. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. Ramirez, then 40, Fountain, then 42, and Johnson, then 54, were arrested andcharged with counterfeiting, forgery, money laundering, operating an illegal enterprise, and other crimes. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. ', 'These people aren't buying a few coupons from this site,' Officer James Holmes added. The film is based on the true story of three Arizona women arrested in 2012 for a $40 million fraud involving coupons. This includes forums and any public viewing areas or websites.". They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." 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. You cant make this stuff up and the filmmakers didnt have to. They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. 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 the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. 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. Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. 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. 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Click here to get in touch, or for information about advertising on the site. Your email address will not be published. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The trailer for Queenpinsincludes audio of Bell and Howell-Baptistes characters calling out systemic inequality and likening themselves to Robin Hood. She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. Thats the type of money they had.. But its funny that its gotten so much attention, Lake said. "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. 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." -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. Savvy Shopper Site had a few other suspicious requirements. The counterfeiting scheme was previously featured in the. Joel McHaleas Rick Kaminski- McHale plays Connie's husband who is worried about their growing amount of debt. Talk about extreme couponing! Ben Stiller serves as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner. 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. Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. They encounter married employees Alejandro and Rosa Diaz, who agree to send them the unused coupons. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. These are free-item coupons," Phoenix Police Sgt. Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debtburying her and her husband. This happened after various companies that had been impacted by the bogus coupons hired private investigators to uncover the origins of the coupons. Many of the details of the real story have been changed, including the names, but also backstories to make the characters more sympathetic. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. 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. But thats just Connie and Jojo. -Investigative Consultants. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Related:Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like. 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." Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. Goodbye coupons, hello high prices. Queenpinsdebuted in theaters on September 10, 2021. Jack McBrayerasAgent Park - McBrayer has extensive experience in comedy. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Placeco-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. 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). He can next be seen in the movie Delia's Gone. We dont want people to think they can do this, he said. 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. Vince Vaughnas Simon Kilmurry -Vince Vaughn plays Simon Kilmurry, a U.S. postal inspector who works with Ken to investigate the coupon scam. Johnson helped package and ship the coupons to customers, and Fountain placed hologram stickers on some of them to make them look more legitimate. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. 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. The filmmakers are not trying to hurt anybody, or glorify the crime, theyre just trying to make a funny story. But, he cautioned, we cant say that it doesnt matter that a person is only selling coupons when we look at the amount of economic damage that does., Counterfeiters like the three Phoenix women, and the many customers who bought coupons from them, are fully aware that what theyre doing is wrong, Lake believes. But nobody really thought it was a big deal, because, you know, its coupons.. 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). Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. "We're talking about anywhere from $400 to $600 million in loss," said Officer James Holmes of the Phoenix Police Department. Queenpins. Lets break it down. Here . A Loss Prevention Officer and U.S. Mugshots of the real women behind Queenpins are displayed below. On the case to bust them: a supermarkets loss-prevention officer and a US postal inspector, played by Paul Walter HauserandVince Vaughn, respectively. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. "[Ringleader Robin Ramirez] would bring in these coupons from overseas in large quantities, quantities we never could imagine and she would sell them on her website for about 50 percent of face value," said Sgt. 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. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. A reality television series about this trend had an episode on the Arizona coupon case. Just to make him more sympathetic, in addition to the $2 an hour, he has a pregnant wife who also works at the factory. Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. But Lake determinedly led his team in pursuing the case. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Couponing goes criminal in the new trailer for Queenpins. In 2012, investigators found millions of dollars worth in forged coupons. Along with paying Procter & Gamble millions of dollars, Ramirez had to serve jail time. 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. 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