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It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. Bud Miller is thought to have loosely inspired Paul Walter Hauser's character in the movie, Ken Miller. The details were first revealed after a Tuesday morning raid in July 2012 by the Phoenix Arizona Police Department. Related:Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like. 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. "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? He also explained the counterfeit coupon case to Gaudet and Pullapilly, who sought him out after their curiosity was piqued when they first read about the crime. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. 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. 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. The scheme came crashing down after forty businesses, including major companies like Proctor & Gamble, Hershey, and PepsiCo, filed fraud complaints. The idea started just as a way for their two families to make ends meet as they struggled to pay the bills. Yes, a bear actually did consumer millions of dollars worth of cocaine. 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. While the characters in Queenpins are fictional, the crime they came up with is the real deal. 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. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. (music by) Cinematography by Andrew Wehde . It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. They interview people from grocery stores that the ladies frequent, almost all of whom recognize Connie due to her constantly irritating coupon usage, even successfully linking her to the "Savvy Super Saver" website as she uses its slogan while shopping. As the Time article notes, couponing became popular not only in the wake of reality television shows like TLCs Extreme Couponing but also due to the economic reality in the wake of the Great Recession. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. JoJo combines two people in real life:Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. 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. Yes. For the most part, yes. There's a reason Bell is making quips about crime. Review: Scamming Audiences with Sophomoric Humor and Dubious Politics. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. Some customers became aware of the bust after they tried to use the coupons and they didn't work. 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. (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. That's not how the world works y'know. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . [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. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. Yes. Tempe Tina does not have a real-life counterpart. 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. "This is to American companies who produced American products and hire American citizens" (DSA). The women guaranteed a one-hundred-percent return rate if a store rejected one of their coupons. Howell-Baptiste previously worked with Bell on Veronica Mars and The Good Place. But nobody really thought it was a big deal, because, you know, its coupons.. All three women were arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and counterfeiting. Queenpins. A judge sentenced Ramirez to twenty-four months in prison and seven years probation. Many of the details of the real story have been changed, including the names, but also backstories to make the characters more sympathetic. 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. However, everything that's built onto this premise in the movie is almost entirely fictional. "[11] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. It's not a seamless fit. 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. 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." In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. 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. "I am not spending money!" Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. Just to make him more sympathetic, in addition to the $2 an hour, he has a pregnant wife who also works at the factory. Tellingly, the changes to the details of the real law enforcement and private investigators make them less sympathetic. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. Greg Garcia, a cashier at her local A&G Family Marts store, explains to her that companies habitually respond to complaint letters by sending coupons for free items. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. Ramirez, too, declined to respond to requests for comment. According to Time magazine, they went undercover and purchased coupons as part of their effort to locate the source. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. And why Bell and co-star Paul Walter Houser didnt talk to the real people behind the characters they play. Shecan next be seen in the indie film Silent Night and later inThe Sandman TV series. The crime comedy is based on a counterfeit coupon empire that shocked law enforcement. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. But during Proctor & Gamble'sroutine audits ofthird-party coupon processors, the discovered fakes in circulation and hired private investigators to do some more digging. Its that simple. Related:Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide. 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. "We're talking about anywhere from $400 to $600 million in loss," said Officer James Holmes of the Phoenix Police Department. 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. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 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. I'd recommend this film for unwinding on a Friday night after a long week. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). 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. she says. Thats the type of money they had.. The comedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. 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. 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. Ame shielded her eyes from the sunlight, "It's just that it's been a while since I've been on duty at daytime.". No. 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. Fountain and Johnson both still live and work in the Phoenix area, in professions that have nothing to do with coupons. What is the Japanese language plot outline for Queenpins (2021)? Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Although both women also had to financially reimburse P&G, they did not have to serve jail time for their part in the scheme. Jack McBrayerasAgent Park - McBrayer has extensive experience in comedy. After complaining about cereal gone stale, the pair receives dozens of freebies, inspiring them to hatch an illegal coupon club scheme. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. Autumn Cejer is a Movie/TV Features Writer for Screen Rant. The leader, Ramirez, pleaded guilty to fraud, counterfeiting, and illegal control of an enterprise. 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. July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women, Tom Sizemore, star of 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Heat,' dies at 61 after brain aneurysm, Josh Hartnett is done talking about his break from Hollywood but ready to make fun of actors: 'We're the worst', Michael B. Jordan admits muscle gain for 'Creed' has been harder as he's gotten older, Billy Bush suggests Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes start their own show after ABC exit: 'They've got something that works', How to watch every Oscars 2023 Best Picture nominee. director of photography Film Editing by Kayla Emter . Couponing goes criminal in the new trailer for Queenpins. The duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. Ben Stiller serves as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner. A reality television series about this trend had an episode on the Arizona coupon case. The site's name was inspired by the legit coupon magazine Savvy Shopper, which is in no way related. The Coupon Queens cheated as many as 40 major manufacturers (Business Insider). They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. Illegal couponing doesn't seem like ahigh-levelcrime, but the two women manage to grow rich off their scheme. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. The coupons are being sent through the mail and the FBI does not take it seriouslybecause it's coupons. The three women, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson, mostly sold free-product coupons. The comments below have not been moderated, By Kirby Howell-Baptiste co-stars as JoJo Johnson, an aspiring YouTube vlogger and Connie's partner in crime. But court records indicate that she has not quite been able to put this case behind her. Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. They were charged with counterfeiting, forgery, operating an illegal enterprise, money laundering, and other violations. 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. 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.. Yes, like the grocery store coupons that come with the Sunday paper. 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. [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. But thats just Connie and Jojo. The group would have fake coupons made oversees, including reproductions of legitimate coupons and made-up ones with steep savings. Included in the seizures were $25,000,000 worth of fake coupons, 22 assault weapons, and 21 vehicles including a 40 foot boat. The real-life Queenpins thought that the similar name would make their scheme appear more legitimate. 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste star in this based-on-a-true-story film about a pair of women whose coupon-counterfeiting operation turned into more than they bargained for. 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 . Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. 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. The other two women pleaded guilty to a single charge of counterfeiting. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam.