And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. 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. Yes, a bear actually did consumer millions of dollars worth of cocaine. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. These companies included Hershey, Procter & Gamble, and the Coupon Information Corporation. Queenpins Cast And Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From Yes. 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. Being clever with coupons makes her feel like she is making a financial contribution. While the characters in Queenpins are fictional, the crime they came up with is the real deal. 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. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell's Crime Comedy The ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts to fight "complex coupon fraud schemes." And they get a monthly reminder every time they make their latest restitution payment. "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. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. Thecomedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. The ladies account is frozen due to suspicious activity, so Connie realizes they need to prove their business is legitimate. Many of the details of the real story have been changed, including the names, but also backstories to make the characters more sympathetic. This installment focuses on the true story behind the crime comedy Queenpins. Mumolo was an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter for the romantic comedy Bridesmaids. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. 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. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. It appeared the women were making so much money, they werent even sure how to spend it all. Hauser previouslyworked with Howell-Baptiste in Cruella and also appeared in I, Tonya. A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. Why the USPS? Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. None of the characters are based on the real individuals involved, Gaudet told Coupons in the News. 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 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. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. 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. Queenpins. Kiara frowned, watching the usually stoic Ame toss and turn in the driver's seat. Watch Queenpins | Prime Video - amazon.com The vehicles included a custom Corvette that was worth over $150,000. That would be too prestigious for Hauser's wannabe-cop Miller (Hauser borrows from his 2019 performance in Richard Jewell). Thats money in the bank.'. She was most likely added to the script for comedic reasons in order to frame Connie and JoJo as being in over their heads and desperately needing outside help. Queenpins is a quirky crime comedy inspired by a trio of women who made millions of dollars in an elaborate coupon scam. 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. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. Related:Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell - TheWrap "[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. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. , updated Instead we have LPOKen Miller (Paul Walter Hauser), a dedicated but comically awkward stickler for the rules, who is eventuallyjoined by an investigator from the USPS (Vince Vaughn, nailing just the right mix of exhausted irritation and integrity). 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. On a message board, one fan raved about paying $7 for a mega pack of Pampers, with no max value meaning a shopper could get more than $50 worth of product free. -Investigative Consultants. 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. MSN Article "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". 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: Dirigido por Aron Gaudet, Gita Pullapilly. 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. The ringleader, Robin Ramirez, started selling bogus coupons as far back as 2007, and was eventually joined by accomplices Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain. Woman on Plane: Hey sorry, uhm, would you mind if we switched seats, just for this last part? 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. Queenpins' true story is based on the couponing scam designed by three Arizona women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain. Unilever also claimed losses, pointing to five particular coupons that had been founded in Ramirezs home, though a judge ruled that they couldn't prove that the three women were responsible for selling them. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. Capitalism always knows how to win. Lets break it down. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? 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. This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. A bright spot is Bebe Rexha as a dark web expert who helps Connie and Jojo launder their money. These are free item coupons,' Police Sgt. 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. [8], In June 2021, Showtime and Paramount+ acquired U.S. pay TV and streaming rights to the film for about $20 million. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. One account had more than $2 million dollars. 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. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. After six months, the pair figure their money is safe to use, but because the money is dirty, they need to spend and clean it. Now, with their story back in the spotlight, theres no escaping it, even nearly ten years later. In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? 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. They enjoy their newfound wealth, only to have their criminal enterprise crumble when they are investigated, raided, and arrested. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows" (Yahoo Finance). It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Released in the United States on September 10, 2021 by STXfilms, the film received mixed reviews from critics and was a box office bomb, grossing only $1.2 million against a $20 million production budget. Fountain and Johnson both still live and work in the Phoenix area, in professions that have nothing to do with coupons. Details of the true story at the heart of Queenpinswere first revealed in July 2012. Johnson helped package and ship the coupons to customers, and Fountain placed hologram stickers on some of them to make them look more legitimate. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. After complaining about cereal gone stale, the pair receives dozens of freebies, inspiring them to hatch an illegal coupon club scheme. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. 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). They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. 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). Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. The real-life Queenpins thought that the similar name would make their scheme appear more legitimate. Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. 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. 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. 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. 'Queenpins' Review: Suburban Scammers - The New York Times Queenpins - Wikipedia Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste on friendship, coupons - Los Ramirez, too, declined to respond to requests for comment. 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.. They were also ordered to pay Proctor & Gamble more than $1.2 million. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. The site's name was inspired by the legit coupon magazine Savvy Shopper, which is in no way related. I'd recommend this film for unwinding on a Friday night after a long week. Real Stories is an ongoing column about the true stories behind movies and TV shows. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . [9], Other box office grosses include Russia ($326,012), Ukraine ($221,109), 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. The pair are currently starring as crooked coupon buddies in the crime comedy "Queenpins," written and directed by husband-and-wife duo Aron. However, they quickly learned that with a little crime, they could actually make money off of it. And it does seem like Queenpinswill take a comedic look at the inequality underpinning the counterfeit coupon market. And the women wont be getting any windfall from Queenpins. 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. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. Con Kristen Bell, Lidia Porto, Joel McHale, Kirby. Authorities later estimated that the coupon ring cost corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. We just wanted to create our own characters.. 'Queenpins' Summary & Ending, Explained - Digital Mafia Talkies Police in Phoenix, Arizona, announced the arrest of three women after they confiscated more than $25 million worth of fake coupons in a raid. Your email address will not be published. You could only place an order if you had a referral from a current customer, and you had to pay for your order with a Green Dot Moneypak (prepaid debit card). In the wake of the bust, all three women pleaded guilty. Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. FREE FIRE TOP 3 GAME REAL CHARACTER para SAMSUNG A3,A5,A6 A7,J2,J5,J7 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. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. 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. 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 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. 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. Judge Rosa Mroz of Maricopa County Superior Court ordered all three to payProcter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. 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 is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. Un par de amas de casa crean una estafa de cupones de 40 millones de dlares. The trios many customers never faced charges but they might have. Illegal couponing doesn't seem like ahigh-levelcrime, but the two women manage to grow rich off their scheme. she says. Bud Miller is thought to have loosely inspired Paul Walter Hauser's character in the movie, Ken Miller. Autumn Cejer is a Movie/TV Features Writer for Screen Rant. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. On the case to bust them: a supermarkets loss-prevention officer and a US postal inspector, played by Paul Walter HauserandVince Vaughn, respectively. Some customers became aware of the bust after they tried to use the coupons and they didn't work. 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. "I am not spending money!" They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." "I'm saving money!" The FBI has crooks who commit moremanly crimes to track down. Queenpins (2021) Rated R for language throughout. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Queenpins, directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, adapts a real-life story and presents it most humorously and entertainingly. 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. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. Visitors to the Savvy Shopper Site website could buy high-value coupons offering free items like detergent, diapers, pet food and more, for pennies on the dollar. It is also revealed that Connie, after numerous unsuccessful attempts to conceive following her miscarriage, is finally pregnant through in vitro fertilization. Queenpins Movie Writer-Directors Aron Gaudet and Gita - Awardsdaily (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. ', 'These people aren't buying a few coupons from this site,' Officer James Holmes added. 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. It was then that they learned of the fakes that were in circulation. Dave Lake told CBS5 later. According to Coupons in the News, Ramierz started selling counterfeit coupons as early as 2007, and was eventually joined by the other two women. 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. Then-forty-year-old Robin Ramirez led the group, which included Marilyn Johnson, then-fifty-four, and Amiko Amy Fountain, then-forty-two. 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. [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. A look at the counterculture movement that became the religious right. Queenpins (2021) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb 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. See production, box office & company info. 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. While the movie is focused on two women, there were three at the heart of the real coupon ring. 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-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 No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. Written and directed byAron GaudetandGita Pullapilly, Queenpins is about two housewives who created a $40 million coupon scam. Slapstick . Neither of them responded to requests for comment about their case, and how or whether they have managed to move on from it. For the most part, yes. 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. Click here to get in touch, or for information about advertising on the site. What is the Japanese language plot outline for Queenpins (2021)? 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. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly's Queenpins concerns two Arizona suburbanites, Connie (Kristen Bell) and JoJo (Kirby . 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. Counterfeit Coupon Ringleader Pleads Guilty - Coupons in the News, Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons - Jill Cataldo. A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam. 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.