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. 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. Here . Nick CassavetesasCaptain Pain - Cassavetes plays Captain Pain in Queenpins. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. 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). But the coupons were high-quality counterfeits. Credit: Courtesy STX Films. 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. In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. In addition, the scenes involving the gun sale include short appearances by co-director Aron Gaudet's brother Nick as a barista, as well as actor and director Nick Cassavetes as the leader of the group buying the guns. And it does seem like Queenpinswill take a comedic look at the inequality underpinning the counterfeit coupon market. Because at Coupons In The News, we believe an educated consumer is the best couponer! 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. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. The trios many customers never faced charges but they might have. They were also ordered to pay Proctor & Gamble more than $1.2 million. Counterfeit Coupon Ringleader Pleads Guilty - Coupons in the News, Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons - Jill Cataldo. 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. Coupons wasnt even the biggest, most interesting case I did. 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. For diapers and toothpaste. 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. Judge Daniel Martin sentenced her to 24 months, as well as seven years probation. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Placeco-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. Ramirezs case was back before a judge as recently as July, when her probation officer reported she was falling behind on her share of the nearly $1.3 million in restitution payments she and her cohorts were ordered to pay. Credit: Courtesy STX Films "They're also some of the best writers I've ever worked with. The story actually began more than a decade ago, when the women started selling their coupons online. Related:Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide. The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. 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 fake coupon game isnt a joke. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. The ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. 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. 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. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Place co-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. As one law enforcement official put it, these were not the fifty-cents-off coupons one might find in their mailbox. 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. she says. "[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 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. Slapstick . Hauser previouslyworked with Howell-Baptiste in Cruella and also appeared in I, Tonya. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. 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. A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? "We're talking about anywhere from $400 to $600 million in loss," said Officer James Holmes of the Phoenix Police Department. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. According to Coupons in the News, Ramierz started selling counterfeit coupons as early as 2007, and was eventually joined by the other two women. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. Carly Stern For Dailymail.com After tracing the origins of the ring to Phoenix, the FBI then teamed up with local law enforcement to bust the group. Con Kristen Bell, Lidia Porto, Joel McHale, Kirby. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. [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're Robin Hood," the queenpins reassure themselves. Queenpins, directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, adapts a real-life story and presents it most humorously and entertainingly. 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. 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. You cant make this stuff up and the filmmakers didnt have to. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. Queenpins (2021) Rated R for language throughout. 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. Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson in QUEENPINS. Eventually, they brought in Phoenix police, who conducted aneight-week investigation. 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). 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). But thats just Connie and Jojo. Watch Queenpins: Bebe Rexha On The Experience She's Had So Far Acting In Her First Film Photos 17 Top cast Edit Kristen Bell Connie Kirby JoJo (as Kirby Howell-Baptiste) Paul Walter Hauser Ken Bebe Rexha Tempe Tina Lidia Porto Mrs. Flores Joel McHale Rick Greta Oglesby Mama Josie Eduardo Franco Greg (Cashier) Ben Sidell Man in Line Nneoma Sampson 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 cast, with Kristen Bell and Paul Walter Hauser, is outstanding The Arizona women, Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, pleaded guilty, Ramirez to. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. -Daily Mail. The other two women pleaded guilty to a single charge of counterfeiting. Though the pair face forty-years-to-life, the companies that they victimized clandestinely press the courts for leniency to avoid bad press, resulting in ten days imprisonment plus one year of probation for JoJo and eleven months incarceration (parole eligible in eight) for Connie. Yes. 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 . 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. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). He also doesn't work closely with the FBI. Woman on Plane: Hey sorry, uhm, would you mind if we switched seats, just for this last part? Kristen Bell, her The Good Place co-star Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and singer Bebe Rexha are set to star in an upcoming comedy calledQueenpins, in which they play a trio of women who make bank in a coupon counterfeiting scam but the massive real-life fraud that inspired the film was no laughing matter. Its that simple. Produced by Music by Siddhartha Khosla . They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. All three women were arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and counterfeiting. Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. But nobody really thought it was a big deal, because, you know, its coupons.. 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.. 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. Fountain and Johnson both still live and work in the Phoenix area, in professions that have nothing to do with coupons. (edited by) Casting By Ben Harris Allison Jones Production Design by Jennifer Klide Art Direction by Adri Siriwatt Costume Design by Julie Carnahan Makeup Department Production Management Mike Upton . Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. Others nabbed coupons for free pet food, diapers, and household goods from as many as 40 major manufacturers, including PepsiCo and Hershey. 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. However, everything that's built onto this premise in the movie is almost entirely fictional. Annie MumoloasCrystal - Mumolo appears in the minor role of Crystal. Queenpinsdebuted in theaters on September 10, 2021. [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. 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. Un par de amas de casa crean una estafa de cupones de 40 millones de dlares. 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.. 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. Johnson helped package and ship the coupons to customers, and Fountain placed hologram stickers on some of them to make them look more legitimate. 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. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows" (Yahoo Finance). Those are intriguing issues but themovie is less interested in exploring them than it is giving the queenpins makeovers and silly plot detours involving a militia and extended scatological humor. Many of the details of the real story have been changed, including the names, but also backstories to make the characters more sympathetic. 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. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. I have never purchased coupons from a clipping service or an auction site." They enjoy their newfound wealth, only to have their criminal enterprise crumble when they are investigated, raided, and arrested. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? 'Its like Robin Hood,' Howell-Baptiste's character says in the trailer, summing up the coupon fraud plan. 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. 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. However, he doesn't appear to have inspired Vaughn's Kilmurry. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. 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. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. Queenpins' true story is based on the couponing scam designed by three Arizona women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. Afterwards, the duo begins their own website and small business "Savvy Super Saver", which helps them sell numerous coupons and generate profit. No Offense, But These 2 Big Retailers Aren't The Cheapest Ad MoneyWise. 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. 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. Tempe Tina does not have a real-life counterpart. Her next acting roleisfor the movie Confess, Fletch. 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. 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. 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. In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. 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. They were charged with counterfeiting, forgery, operating an illegal enterprise, money laundering, and other violations. A charge for forgery was dropped. 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 does not seem to take it too seriously, telling us that "this is a story about little old coupons.". Kiara frowned, watching the usually stoic Ame toss and turn in the driver's seat. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . Connie initially comes up with the couponing scheme, eventuallyteaming up with her friend to help her pull off the biggest coupon scam in U.S. history. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. That's the psychological illogic of coupons, referred to in the movie as the "coupon high." 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. No. Fountain and Johnson each pleaded guilty to one charge of counterfeiting. The ringleader, Robin Ramirez, started selling bogus coupons as far back as 2007, and was eventually joined by accomplices Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain. The site's name was inspired by the legit coupon magazine Savvy Shopper, which is in no way related. 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. Queenpins. 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 February of 2013,Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise, though a forgery charge was dropped. The leader, Ramirez, pleaded guilty to fraud, counterfeiting, and illegal control of an enterprise. The comedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. Upon realizing that they could get a coupon for a free item sent to them just by complaining to the manufacturer, they come up with a plan to smuggle and steal cases of those coupons, to then sell to people. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. 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 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. 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. It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. A quarter of the U.S. will fall inside an extreme heat belt. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. Your email address will not be published. That's not how the world works y'know. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. Okeniyi appeared in The Hunger Games and Run Sweetheart Run, and his next role is in Greek Freak. In addition to the $40 million in counterfeit coupons that they confiscated, police seized $2 million in assets from the three women, including four homes, 22 guns, a 40-foot speed boat, and 21 vehicles. No. Vince Vaughn's other moviesincludemany big-budget action films and comedies such as The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Wedding Crashers. And they get a monthly reminder every time they make their latest restitution payment. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. Queenpins: Dirigido por Aron Gaudet, Gita Pullapilly. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? 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. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. -Investigative Consultants. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. The real-life Queenpins thought that the similar name would make their scheme appear more legitimate. That's one reasonbeyond saving moneythe scam was so successful. McHaleis perhaps best known for his role inCommunity, and will next be starring in the series Black Box. 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. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. 'Sometimes I would come out with three carts of groceries.'. Queenpins is a quirky crime comedy inspired by a trio of women who made millions of dollars in an elaborate coupon scam.