queenpins real characters

Coupon enthusiast Jill Cataldo warns, "Even though many places sell coupons online, you should never buy them. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. 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. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. 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). 'They're buying bunches, and they're redeeming them in bunches.'. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The comments below have not been moderated, By Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. Why the USPS? The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. -Investigative Consultants. Carly Stern For Dailymail.com 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. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 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. But the coupons were high-quality counterfeits. The comedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. At the time of her arrest, investigators discovered Ramirez had four online accounts and 12 bank accounts. It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. 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. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. Will DiGravio is a Brooklyn-based critic, researcher, and video essayist, who has been a contributor at Film School Rejects since 2018. Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. Counterfeit Coupon Ringleader Pleads Guilty - Coupons in the News, Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons - Jill Cataldo. [3] In July 2020, it was announced Paul Walter Hauser and Vince Vaughn had joined the cast of the film. 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. Shecan next be seen in the indie film Silent Night and later inThe Sandman TV series. 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). The group would have fake coupons made oversees, including reproductions of legitimate coupons and made-up ones with steep savings. Queenpins is Rexha's first major acting role. 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 CIC and some of its members were on location in a mobile command unit watching the bust." 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. In addition, the scenes involving the gun sale include short appearances by co-director Aron Gaudet's brother Nick as a barista, as well as actor and director Nick Cassavetes as the leader of the group buying the guns. 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. 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. 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. 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. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. 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. US Postal Inspector Simon Kilmurry (Vince Vaughn) appears to be entirely fictional. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. Mugshots of the real women behind Queenpins are displayed below. Users had to be 'invited' to join the site, and fans raved about the impossibly good deals, like a coupon for a free pizza worth $7 that would cost shoppers just $1. 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. [9], Other box office grosses include Russia ($326,012), Ukraine ($221,109), You cant make this stuff up and the filmmakers didnt have to. The film is based on the true story of three Arizona women arrested in 2012 for a $40 million fraud involving coupons. So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? They included coupons for anything from Hershey bars to dog food to diapers. Authorities also seized twenty-two assault weapons and twenty-one vehicles, including a forty-foot boat, in the raid. "We knew, based on our research on past films, the more we dig into the real lives, it becomes much more serious, much more dramatic," Pullapilly told the, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. Joel McHaleas Rick Kaminski- McHale plays Connie's husband who is worried about their growing amount of debt. Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson in QUEENPINS. "This is to American companies who produced American products and hire American citizens" (DSA). Instead, he becomes highly frustrated when the FBI blows off his concerns. By mail. "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". In February of 2013,Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise, though a forgery charge was dropped. 'Its like Robin Hood,' Howell-Baptiste's character says in the trailer, summing up the coupon fraud plan. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. She has previously appeared with Bell on Bad Moms, buther claim to fame has been in screenwriting. 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. ', 'These people aren't buying a few coupons from this site,' Officer James Holmes added. 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. Queenpinshits theaters on September 10th and will be available to stream via Paramount+ on September 30th. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. A reality television series about this trend had an episode on the Arizona coupon case. [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. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Queenpins' true story is based on the couponing scam designed by three Arizona women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain. .aspect-ratio-box { height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-top: calc(720 / 1280 * 100%); background: #f9f9f9; position: relative; margin-bottom:30px; } .aspect-ratio-box-inside { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }, Read original story Queenpins': Heres the Real Story Behind Kristen Bells Crime Comedy At TheWrap, July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women, Queenpins': Heres the Real Story Behind Kristen Bells Crime Comedy, 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. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. 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. However, they quickly learned that with a little crime, they could actually make money off of it. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life Queenpins? Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. Lets break it down. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. 17:42 EST 23 Jul 2021. The vehicles included a custom Corvette that was worth over $150,000. We dont want people to think its funny. 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. As one law enforcement official put it, these were not the fifty-cents-off coupons one might find in their mailbox. They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. 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. 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. [5] In October 2020, Bebe Rexha joined the cast of the film. While the characters in Queenpins are fictional, the crime they came up with is the real deal. Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. The details were first revealed after a Tuesday morning raid in July 2012 by the Phoenix Arizona Police Department. 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. 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. The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. 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 two women in the movie, Connie Kaminski (Kristen Bell) and JoJo Johnson (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), are not directly based on any of the real-life women.Kristen Bell's character's background of being a former Olympic race walker who turns to couponing after having no luck getting pregnant (and spending tens of thousands on in vitro treatments) is fictional, as is Kirby Howell-Baptiste's character's unsuccessful efforts to make it as a vlogger. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. Procter & Gamble $1,288,682 in reimbursement. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. It appeared the women were making so much money, they werent even sure how to spend it all. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. Thats why they say Robin Hood, thats why they say the fat cats on Wall Street deserve it, thats why they say these corporations are evil. Not because they believe any of that, but so they dont feel guilty about their own actions. His message to coupon wrongdoers is, yes, you got a good deal. 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. Mumolo was an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter for the romantic comedy Bridesmaids. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. Slapstick . 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. She really likes to watch out the window as we land and it helps calm her down. We just wanted to create our own characters.. The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. 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. 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. 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. 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). Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. Details of the true story at the heart of Queenpinswere first revealed in July 2012. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. Woman on Plane: Hey sorry, uhm, would you mind if we switched seats, just for this last part? We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. It's not a seamless fit. We dont want people to think they can do this, he said. Despite the absurdity of the synopsis, believe it or not,Queenpins is based on a true story. On the case to bust them: a supermarket's. Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste, playing the lead roles, are as spectacular as ever. Lets break it down. 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. Thats money in the bank.'. 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. The Phoenix Police Department conducted undercover operations in which they purchased the counterfeit coupons. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. Bell has extensive experience in Broadway, television, and film, leading successful TV series like Veronica Mars and The Good Place. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. According to Coupons in the News, Ramierz started selling counterfeit coupons as early as 2007, and was eventually joined by the other two women. (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. After tracing the origins of the ring to Phoenix, the FBI then teamed up with local law enforcement to bust the group. In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. 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. Ramirez, too, declined to respond to requests for comment. 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. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. 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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. David Lake said. You don't always get your way. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. A look at what really happened with the characters of Andrew Dominiks 2007 Western epic. McHaleis perhaps best known for his role inCommunity, and will next be starring in the series Black Box. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. 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. They also turned to the Coupon Information Corporation. The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. On the case to bust them: a supermarkets loss-prevention officer and a US postal inspector, played by Paul Walter HauserandVince Vaughn, respectively. "I am not spending money!" These are free-item coupons," Phoenix Police Sgt. The film revolves around an ordinary suburban housewife's desire to forge her own path, which ultimately leads her to the world of scams. By It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. 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. While JoJo is released on bail, Rick visits Connie only so he can admonish her, having been informed by Simon that she and JoJo have defrauded over 240 companies of tens of millions of dollars. The counterfeiting scheme was previously featured in theCBS TV docu-series Pink Collar Crimes in 2018. Queenpins. 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. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. 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). But its funny that its gotten so much attention, Lake said. Okeniyi appeared in The Hunger Games and Run Sweetheart Run, and his next role is in Greek Freak. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. 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. Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. 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. 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. Required fields are marked *. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. Shedisplays considerable comedy chopsin films like Bad Momsand is also well-known for her role as Anna inDisney's Frozen franchise. Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha makes her feature film debut in the Queenpins movie. 'Sometimes I would come out with three carts of groceries.'. She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. 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. Included in the seizures were $25,000,000 worth of fake coupons, 22 assault weapons, and 21 vehicles including a 40 foot boat. Yes. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. 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