Afterwards, the duo begins their own website and small business "Savvy Super Saver", which helps them sell numerous coupons and generate profit. The duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. 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. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Mumolo was an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter for the romantic comedy Bridesmaids. [6] In December 2020, Dayo Okeniyi, Joel McHale, Nick Cassavetes, Michael Masini, Paul Rust, Eduardo Franco, Marc Evan Jackson, Lidia Porto, Greta Oglesby, Jack McBrayer and Annie Mumolo joined the cast of the film. Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHO at the time. 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. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha makes her feature film debut in the Queenpins movie. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. 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. That's one reasonbeyond saving moneythe scam was so successful. Authorities later estimated that the coupon ring cost corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. 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. -Daily Mail. Authorities eventually traced Ramirezs activity back to 2007. As one law enforcement official put it, these were not the fifty-cents-off coupons one might find in their mailbox. 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. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. These are free-item coupons," Phoenix Police Sgt. From left, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. She really likes to watch out the window as we land and it helps calm her down. Although both women also had to financially reimburse P&G, they did not have to serve jail time for their part in the scheme. -TIME. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. However, they quickly learned that with a little crime, they could actually make money off of it. I'd recommend this film for unwinding on a Friday night after a long week. [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. Bell plays former Olympian and bored. They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. Before playing Agent Park, he was inTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,Wreck-It Ralph, Bob's Burgers, and many others. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. Queenpins True Story: The Real-Life Inspiration Explained - ScreenRant Neither of them responded to requests for comment about their case, and how or whether they have managed to move on from it. 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. According to Sgt. 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. Judge Daniel Martin sentenced her to 24 months, as well as seven years probation. 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. While the movie is focused on two women, there were three at the heart of the real coupon ring. 17:23 EST 23 Jul 2021 The fake coupon game isnt a joke. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. We dont want people to think its funny. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. Queenpins is Rexha's first major acting role. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows" (Yahoo Finance). In July of 2012, police raided Ramirez's home andseized more than $25 million worth of fake coupons. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). Counterfeit Coupon Ringleader Pleads Guilty - Coupons in the News, Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons - Jill Cataldo. 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. Lets break it down. 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. 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. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. Yes. McHaleis perhaps best known for his role inCommunity, and will next be starring in the series Black Box. Joel McHaleas Rick Kaminski- McHale plays Connie's husband who is worried about their growing amount of debt. Illegal couponing doesn't seem like ahigh-levelcrime, but the two women manage to grow rich off their scheme. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. 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. On the case to bust them: a supermarket's. On the case to bust them: a supermarkets loss-prevention officer and a US postal inspector, played by Paul Walter HauserandVince Vaughn, respectively. Con Kristen Bell, Lidia Porto, Joel McHale, Kirby. 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.. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. Others nabbed coupons for free pet food, diapers, and household goods from as many as 40 major manufacturers, including PepsiCo and Hershey. Queenpins - Chapter 1 - Elias_Pedro - Archive of Our Own Savvy Shopper Site had a few other suspicious requirements. Watch Queenpins | Prime Video - amazon.com 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. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. Queenpins Cast And Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From 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. 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 three real-life Coupon Queens carried out their counterfeit operation in Phoenix, Arizona where they lived. Review: Scamming Audiences with Sophomoric Humor and Dubious Politics. The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. Capitalism always knows how to win. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life Queenpins? 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 also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. 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. Perhaps the most telling sign that things weren't on the up-and-up was the fact that the site advised, "Please do not share this information with people that you don't actually know. However, he doesn't appear to have inspired Vaughn's Kilmurry. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. The Phoenix Police Department conducted undercover operations in which they purchased the counterfeit coupons. The film is based on the true story of three Arizona women arrested in 2012 for a $40 million fraud involving coupons. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. The coupons are being sent through the mail and the FBI does not take it seriouslybecause it's coupons. Kristen Bell leads a strong cast in 'Queenpins,' in theaters Sept. 10 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. Bud Miller is thought to have loosely inspired Paul Walter Hauser's character in the movie, Ken Miller. 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. They also turned to the Coupon Information Corporation. 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. Details of the true story at the heart of Queenpinswere first revealed in July 2012. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. MSN Article Their unbelievable success eventually catches the attention of law enforcement. 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. The comments below have not been moderated, By This includes forums and any public viewing areas or websites.". Written and directed byAron GaudetandGita Pullapilly, Queenpins is about two housewives who created a $40 million coupon scam. Authorities also seized twenty-two assault weapons and twenty-one vehicles, including a forty-foot boat, in the raid. 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. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. Her term of probation was recently extended for another five years, after she fell more than $4,000 behind in her restitution payments. For her first film since Frozen II (the 10th highest-grossing movie of all-time . Queenpins (2021) - IMDb None of the characters are based on the real individuals involved, Gaudet told Coupons in the News. [10], On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 47% based on 62 reviews with an average rating of 5.40/10. 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. Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. 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. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. Thecomedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. Queenpins | Official Trailer [HD] | In Theaters September 10 - YouTube On the real Queenpins website, SavvyShopperSite.com, they sold free-product coupons, with the caveat that you must spend at least $50 on coupons per order. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. By Law-enforcement authorities, manufacturers, and retailers advise against purchasing coupons. Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste on friendship, coupons - Los she says. The counterfeiting scheme was previously featured in the. This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. 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. Talk about extreme couponing! -Investigative Consultants. Queenpinshits theaters on September 10th and will be available to stream via Paramount+ on September 30th. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? 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. They don't call it robbery; they prefer "removing" or "separating.". 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. So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. Goodbye coupons, hello high prices. Thats the type of money they had.. 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. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. 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. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell's Crime Comedy There's a reason Bell is making quips about crime. Along with paying Procter & Gamble millions of dollars, Ramirez had to serve jail time. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Police in Phoenix, Arizona, announced the arrest of three women after they confiscated more than $25 million worth of fake coupons in a raid. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. "I am not spending money!" But lets be honest: its hard to feel too sorry for the corporations in this instance. Ramirez, Fountain and Johnson were charged and convicted for running their very own $40 million counterfeit coupon scheme, for which theyre still paying the price and may well be for the rest of their lives. Yes, like the grocery store coupons that come with the Sunday paper. 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). Yes. 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. Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. Next:Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. No Offense, But These 2 Big Retailers Aren't The Cheapest Ad MoneyWise. What is the Japanese language plot outline for Queenpins (2021)? Lets break it down. Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. You don't always get your way. 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. Its that simple. JoJo combines two people in real life:Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson. She spends her free time drinking coffee and trying to resist the urge to buy any new books before reading the many she already owns. The site's critics consensus reads: "Lowbrow humor and inconsistent storytelling undercut Queenpins' talented cast, making this coupon-clipping comedy a disappointingly poor bargain. The ladies account is frozen due to suspicious activity, so Connie realizes they need to prove their business is legitimate. In February of 2013,Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise, though a forgery charge was dropped. A reality television series about this trend had an episode on the Arizona coupon case. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. Queenpins Writers Balance Comedic Tone with Real-Life Drama in Coupon 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. Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. David Lake said. A quarter of the U.S. will fall inside an extreme heat belt. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. You Are Reading :Queenpins Cast And Character Guide Where You Know The Actors From. These companies included Hershey, Procter & Gamble, and the Coupon Information Corporation. Being clever with coupons makes her feel like she is making a financial contribution. This installment focuses on the true story behind the crime comedy Queenpins. Tempe Tina does not have a real-life counterpart. 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. 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. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. Tellingly, the changes to the details of the real law enforcement and private investigators make them less sympathetic. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Placeco-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. Judge Rosa Mroz of Maricopa County Superior Court ordered all three to payProcter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. Ame hissed, "Getting partnered with someone like me. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. That's the psychological illogic of coupons, referred to in the movie as the "coupon high." (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 . 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. But Lake determinedly led his team in pursuing the case. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. You cant make this stuff up and the filmmakers didnt have to. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. 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." , updated 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. Alienated by her uninspiring existence being unemployed and having suffered a miscarriage in an attempt to conceive a child, Connie commiserates with her best friend Joanna "JoJo" Johnson, who has been unable to secure proper employment since having her identity stolen and thus lives with her mother Josephine, attempting to generate revenue by making YouTube videos while being amorously pursued by the local mailman, Earl. In this film we have one of the world's most adorable people, Kristen Bell, with her delightful "The Good Place" co-star Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two women who almost make a multi-million dollar crime seem cute. She has previously appeared with Bell on Bad Moms, buther claim to fame has been in screenwriting. He'd be scary if the film didn't make him the literal butt of the joke. But can you live with what you did?. 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. 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. 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. The REAL story behind Kristen Bell's upcoming movie Queenpins 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. 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. Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. And the women wont be getting any windfall from Queenpins. But thats just Connie and Jojo. 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. Slapstick . 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). Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson in QUEENPINS. And thats why they make excuses, he said. 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. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. Mugshots of the real women behind Queenpins are displayed below. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. Your email address will not be published. The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. Nick CassavetesasCaptain Pain - Cassavetes plays Captain Pain in Queenpins. The group would have fake coupons made oversees, including reproductions of legitimate coupons and made-up ones with steep savings. 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. Some customers became aware of the bust after they tried to use the coupons and they didn't work. Just to make him more sympathetic, in addition to the $2 an hour, he has a pregnant wife who also works at the factory. 'Queenpins' Plot Summary 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. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam. Ramirez, Fountain and Johnson are now having to live with what they did. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Click here to get in touch, or for information about advertising on the site. While the characters in Queenpins are fictional, the crime they came up with is the real deal. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. 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.

Sightsavers Ceo Salary, Principles In Preparing Desserts, Lion Cub Creator, Pledge Reminder Sample Letter, Honeywell Chemical Plant Locations, Articles Q