The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. 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 CIC and some of its members were on location in a mobile command unit watching the bust." Queenpins - Chapter 3 - Elias_Pedro - Archive of Our Own 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. Ramirez, Fountain and Johnson are now having to live with what they did. 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. 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. Some movies are based on true stories, some movies are inspired by true stories. 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. The three real-life Coupon Queens carried out their counterfeit operation in Phoenix, Arizona where they lived. A quarter of the U.S. will fall inside an extreme heat belt. 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. People who purchased coupons on the site could use them for an item and even get cash back if the value of the coupon exceeded the item's price. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. Joel McHaleas Rick Kaminski- McHale plays Connie's husband who is worried about their growing amount of debt. In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. ', 'These people aren't buying a few coupons from this site,' Officer James Holmes added. "[11] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". After tracing the origins of the ring to Phoenix, the FBI then teamed up with local law enforcement to bust the group. These are free item coupons,' Police Sgt. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. The bare-bones blueprint for the story is accurate; a small group of women make millions selling counterfeit coupons. 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 ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. She has previously appeared with Bell on Bad Moms, buther claim to fame has been in screenwriting. Dave Lake told CBS5 later. Queenpins True Story: The Real-Life Inspiration Explained - ScreenRant 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. The FBI has crooks who commit moremanly crimes to track down. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. "We're talking about anywhere from $400 to $600 million in loss," said Officer James Holmes of the Phoenix Police Department. A look at the counterculture movement that became the religious right. 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. The fake coupon game isnt a joke. A reality television series about this trend had an episode on the Arizona coupon case. 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. Next:Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. 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. 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. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. Kristen Bell leads a strong cast in 'Queenpins,' in theaters Sept. 10 Vince Vaughnas Simon Kilmurry -Vince Vaughn plays Simon Kilmurry, a U.S. postal inspector who works with Ken to investigate the coupon scam. 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 But the coupons were high-quality counterfeits. The duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. 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. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. 'Queenpins' Review: Deals, Discounts and Delinquency - WSJ Law-enforcement authorities, manufacturers, and retailers advise against purchasing coupons. Yes, like the grocery store coupons that come with the Sunday paper. The film is based on the true story of three Arizona women arrested in 2012 for a $40 million fraud involving coupons. Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. While it might seem outrageous and is played for laughs in the movie, in July 2012, a SWAT team really did raid the Phoenix residences of the three women who played a part in the counterfeit coupon operation. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life Queenpins? In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. Produced by Music by Siddhartha Khosla . You cant make this stuff up and the filmmakers didnt have to. Thats the type of money they had.. 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." Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. 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. The ringleader, Robin Ramirez, started selling bogus coupons as far back as 2007, and was eventually joined by accomplices Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain. Police in Phoenix, Arizona, announced the arrest of three women after they confiscated more than $25 million worth of fake coupons in a raid. Included in the seizures were $25,000,000 worth of fake coupons, 22 assault weapons, and 21 vehicles including a 40 foot boat. But court records indicate that she has not quite been able to put this case behind her. However, he doesn't appear to have inspired Vaughn's Kilmurry. The pair are currently starring as crooked coupon buddies in the crime comedy "Queenpins," written and directed by husband-and-wife duo Aron. They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. Ill go out on a limb here and predict that their once noble intentions go off the rails. 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 coupons are being sent through the mail and the FBI does not take it seriouslybecause it's coupons. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. 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. Howell-Baptiste previously worked with Bell on Veronica Mars and The Good Place. Ken: Yeah no, even if I wanted to switch, I think it's more important that your daughter learn a valuable lesson. Fountain and Johnson each pleaded guilty to one charge of counterfeiting. See production, box office & company info. Capitalism always knows how to win. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. When we use coupons, we feel like we're getting away with something, like we're smart and special. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell - TheWrap Queenpins | Official Trailer [HD] | In Theaters September 10 - YouTube They contact the hacker who stole JoJos identity, Tempe Tina, and are taken to her secret location, where she instructs the pair on how to conceal their operation and secure their money, suggesting they use JoJos cosmetics brand Back 2 Black to disguise their coupon business. 'Queenpins' Review: Suburban Scammers - The New York Times "I am not spending money!" McHaleis perhaps best known for his role inCommunity, and will next be starring in the series Black Box. Now that theyve done their time and are working to pay off their debt, the women appear to be trying to put the incident behind them. 'Sometimes I would come out with three carts of groceries.'. They were charged with counterfeiting, forgery, operating an illegal enterprise, money laundering, and other violations. Authorities eventually traced Ramirezs activity back to 2007. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). Illegal couponing doesn't seem like ahigh-levelcrime, but the two women manage to grow rich off their scheme. Mugshots of the real women behind Queenpins are displayed below. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Details of the true story at the heart of Queenpinswere first revealed in July 2012. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. A real disc jockey inspired Robin Williams classic character. Watch Queenpins | Prime Video - amazon.com 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. Lets break it down. 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. 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. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life." It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. The duo bond on their mission, with Simon sympathizing with Ken's unwavering devotion. 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. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Queenpins. Kristen Bell And Kirby Howell-Baptiste Run A Multi-Million Dollar Coupon Scam In The 'Queenpins' Trailer. She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. 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. A judge sentenced Ramirez to twenty-four months in prison and seven years probation. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life "Queenpins"? 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. 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. The comments below have not been moderated, By I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Bell will next be lending her voice to the animated show Do, Re & Mi, as well as appearing in the miniseries The Woman in the House. FREE FIRE TOP 3 GAME REAL CHARACTER para SAMSUNG A3,A5,A6 A7,J2,J5,J7 No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? According to Sgt. He also doesn't work closely with the FBI. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. 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. 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. Then-forty-year-old Robin Ramirez led the group, which included Marilyn Johnson, then-fifty-four, and Amiko Amy Fountain, then-forty-two. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. 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 the wake of the bust, all three women pleaded guilty. Tellingly, the changes to the details of the real law enforcement and private investigators make them less sympathetic. JoJo combines two people in real life:Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson. The only real-life individual you could say was better off after the case than before, is the man who cracked the case. 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. The other two women pleaded guilty to a single charge of counterfeiting. Con Kristen Bell, Lidia Porto, Joel McHale, Kirby. 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' Summary & Ending, Explained - Digital Mafia Talkies It's not a seamless fit. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. Queenpins Movie Writer-Directors Aron Gaudet and Gita - Awardsdaily Couponing goes criminal in the new trailer for Queenpins. "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. she says. A charge for forgery was dropped. 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. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly did fly to Arizona in 2018 to interview the real detective who worked the case. Instead, he becomes highly frustrated when the FBI blows off his concerns. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). 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). The real-life Queenpins thought that the similar name would make their scheme appear more legitimate. Written and directed byAron GaudetandGita Pullapilly, Queenpins is about two housewives who created a $40 million coupon scam. 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.. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). 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. 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. Mumolo was an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter for the romantic comedy Bridesmaids. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. They also turned to the Coupon Information Corporation. The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. No Offense, But These 2 Big Retailers Aren't The Cheapest Ad MoneyWise. 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. 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. 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. Watching "Queenpins" is like eating grocery store birthday cake. Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debtburying her and her husband. 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. (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 . Two women create a $40 million coupon scam. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012.