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. Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life." However, they quickly learned that with a little crime, they could actually make money off of it. 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 coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. It isvery pleasurable in the moment but likely to leave you feeling empty and a little queasy. She does not seem to take it too seriously, telling us that "this is a story about little old coupons.". But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. Credit: Courtesy STX Films "They're also some of the best writers I've ever worked with. They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. For diapers and toothpaste. While the characters in the 2021 movieQueenpins call out systemic inequality and the downfalls of capitalism, it's unlikely that their real-life counterparts shared these same sentiments. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. Authorities also seized twenty-two assault weapons and twenty-one vehicles, including a forty-foot boat, in the raid. Thecomedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. 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. 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. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts to fight "complex coupon fraud schemes." 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. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. The crime comedy is based on a counterfeit coupon empire that shocked law enforcement. This installment focuses on the true story behind the crime comedy Queenpins. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. 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. 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 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. No. 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. Nick CassavetesasCaptain Pain - Cassavetes plays Captain Pain in Queenpins. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. 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. While the characters in Queenpins are fictional, the crime they came up with is the real deal. 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." Produced by Music by Siddhartha Khosla . No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. 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. "We're talking about anywhere from $400 to $600 million in loss," said Officer James Holmes of the Phoenix Police Department. , updated Queenpins' true story is based on the couponing scam designed by three Arizona women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain. Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . She suggestsmaking fake identities and multiple accounts to store their earnings. As one law enforcement official put it, these were not the fifty-cents-off coupons one might find in their mailbox. No. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. They included coupons for anything from Hershey bars to dog food to diapers. 'Queenpins' Plot Summary Vaughn is also currently appearing in the series Curb Your Enthusiasm. In the wake of the bust, all three women pleaded guilty. 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. 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. Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debt burying her and her husband. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. 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. Johnson helped package and ship the coupons to customers, and Fountain placed hologram stickers on some of them to make them look more legitimate. -Daily Mail. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Shedisplays considerable comedy chopsin films like Bad Momsand is also well-known for her role as Anna inDisney's Frozen franchise. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. 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). 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. The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. Bell plays former Olympian and bored. 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. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. The ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. 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. 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 Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly's Queenpins concerns two Arizona suburbanites, Connie (Kristen Bell) and JoJo (Kirby . The fake coupon game isnt a joke. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? 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. The only real-life individual you could say was better off after the case than before, is the man who cracked the case. 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. 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.. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. Ben Stiller serves as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. 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. she says. And the women wont be getting any windfall from Queenpins. 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. Kirby Howell-Baptiste co-stars as JoJo Johnson, an aspiring YouTube vlogger and Connie's partner in crime. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. 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. 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 No Offense, But These 2 Big Retailers Aren't The Cheapest Ad MoneyWise. However, everything that's built onto this premise in the movie is almost entirely fictional. 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. But lets be honest: its hard to feel too sorry for the corporations in this instance. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. Netherlands ($200,244), United Arab Emirates ($123,281), Hungary ($88,609), Croatia ($41,810), Lithuania ($18,354), Iceland ($11,774), South Africa ($5,900) and Portugal ($5,501). Coupons wasnt even the biggest, most interesting case I did. In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. 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. But all were ordered to pay nearly $1.3 million in restitution to Procter & Gamble, just one of the many manufacturers whose coupons they counterfeited and sold. It's very easy to say their words," says Kristen. Annie MumoloasCrystal - Mumolo appears in the minor role of Crystal. 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. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. (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. This is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. In July of 2012, police raided Ramirez's home andseized more than $25 million worth of fake coupons. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows. 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. 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. 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. Savvy Shopper Site had a few other suspicious requirements. Previously, she worked as a singer and songwriter, penning hitslike Eminem and Rihanna's "The Monster" and collaborating with bands such as Florida Georgia Line. Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. The ladies account is frozen due to suspicious activity, so Connie realizes they need to prove their business is legitimate. Counterfeit Coupon Ringleader Pleads Guilty - Coupons in the News, Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons - Jill Cataldo. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. 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. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. Lets break it down. According to Sgt. Fountain and Johnson each pleaded guilty to one charge of counterfeiting. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. They encounter married employees Alejandro and Rosa Diaz, who agree to send them the unused coupons. 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. Authorities eventually traced Ramirezs activity back to 2007. The duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. The trailer for Queenpinsincludes audio of Bell and Howell-Baptistes characters calling out systemic inequality and likening themselves to Robin Hood. Capitalism always knows how to win. Queenpinsdebuted in theaters on September 10, 2021. 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. 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.