They were charged with counterfeiting, forgery, operating an illegal enterprise, money laundering, and other violations. In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. Despite the absurdity of the synopsis, believe it or not,Queenpins is based on a true story. Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise. Queenpins is Rexha's first major acting role. The cruelty-free sacred oil that will anoint Charles as King: Monarch breaks Coronation Day tradition with 'I have nothing to say to you': Father of Mallory Beach - who was killed in a boat crash while Alex Murdaugh's Alex Murdaugh is seen with his prison buzz cut as he starts two life sentences without parole for killing his Family 'mortified' after being thrown out of Mother Goose panto for bringing their baby with them, after venue Is this Britain's most despicable man? Queenpins is playing in theaters with plans to stream on Paramount+ in the near future. Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha makes her feature film debut in the Queenpins movie. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Place co-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. Ramirez, Fountain and Johnson are now having to live with what they did. [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. 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." 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. -Daily Mail. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. 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. Paul Walter Hauseras Ken Miller -Paul Walter Hauser plays Loss Prevention Officer Ken Miller, whoserather unexciting job takes a turn when he discovers the fake coupon scheme. Bebe Rexha is the tech genius, Tempe Tina. The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). According to Time magazine, they went undercover and purchased coupons as part of their effort to locate the source. The duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. On the case to bust them: a supermarkets loss-prevention officer and a US postal inspector, played by Paul Walter HauserandVince Vaughn, respectively. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. 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. 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 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. 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. It is also revealed that Connie, after numerous unsuccessful attempts to conceive following her miscarriage, is finally pregnant through in vitro fertilization. However, they quickly learned that with a little crime, they could actually make money off of it. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. No. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. This is based on the true story of three women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? Next:Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. Queenpinshits theaters on September 10th and will be available to stream via Paramount+ on September 30th. "I am not spending money!" They start buying things like sports cars, boats, planes, and guns, but Tina then criticizes their overspending and tells them that because their money was always clean, their purchases are just making them look more suspicious, instructing them to withdraw money from the bank in small increments and to sell off all their big purchases. 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The CIC and some of its members were on location in a mobile command unit watching the bust." The duo bond on their mission, with Simon sympathizing with Ken's unwavering devotion. Kristen Bell leads a strong cast in 'Queenpins,' in theaters Sept. 10 FREE FIRE TOP 3 GAME REAL CHARACTER para SAMSUNG A3,A5,A6 A7,J2,J5,J7,S5,S6 S7,S9,A10,A20 A30,A50 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. [1] It was released on September 10, 2021. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly did fly to Arizona in 2018 to interview the real detective who worked the case. Will DiGravio is a Brooklyn-based critic, researcher, and video essayist, who has been a contributor at Film School Rejects since 2018. Read about the latest trends in couponing, get some new coupon alerts and keep up with stories across the country and around the world that have to do with coupons, the companies that issue them and the consumers who use them. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. We dont want people to think its funny. 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. 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. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. They also turned to the Coupon Information Corporation. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. 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. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. 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.. The trios many customers never faced charges but they might have. All three women were arrested and charged with forgery, fraud and counterfeiting. 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. 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. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. 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. She does not seem to take it too seriously, telling us that "this is a story about little old coupons.". Their unbelievable success eventually catches the attention of law enforcement. If you can get an unlimited number of those, think how this grows. But thats just Connie and Jojo. The comedy Queenpins is inspired by the largest coupon scam in U.S. history. 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. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. And they get a monthly reminder every time they make their latest restitution payment. 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. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. That's one reasonbeyond saving moneythe scam was so successful. "You are spending money we don't have," her husband says, looking at what was once supposed to be a nursery, now converted into what looks like a grocery warehouse. Fountain and Johnson each pleaded guilty to one charge of counterfeiting. Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Shecan next be seen in the indie film Silent Night and later inThe Sandman TV series. Dave Lake told CBS5 later. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Many of the details of the real story have been changed, including the names, but also backstories to make the characters more sympathetic. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Produced by Music by Siddhartha Khosla . Review: Scamming Audiences with Sophomoric Humor and Dubious Politics. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. 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. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. 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. Some customers became aware of the bust after they tried to use the coupons and they didn't work. From left, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. [4] In September 2020, Kirby Howell-Baptiste joined the cast of the film, replacing Jones, with Ben Stiller joining as an executive producer under his Red Hour Productions banner, with STX Entertainment set to distribute. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. Tellingly, the changes to the details of the real law enforcement and private investigators make them less sympathetic. 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. Fountain and Johnson both still live and work in the Phoenix area, in professions that have nothing to do with coupons. 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. Eventually, they brought in Phoenix police, who conducted aneight-week investigation. A charge for forgery was dropped. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell - TheWrap 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. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Required fields are marked *. Queenpins (2021) - IMDb He can next be seen in the movie Delia's Gone. Dejected and frustrated suburban housewife Connie Kaminski (ne Stevens), a three-time gold-medal-winning former Olympic racewalker, has followed the conventional life path set for her by society ever since she was young. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. Why the USPS? Goodbye coupons, hello high prices. Related:Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. Thecomedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. The idea started just as a way for their two families to make ends meet as they struggled to pay the bills. 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. Vince Vaughn's other moviesincludemany big-budget action films and comedies such as The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Wedding Crashers. The cast, with Kristen Bell and Paul Walter Hauser, is outstanding The Arizona women, Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, pleaded guilty, Ramirez to. Watching "Queenpins" is like eating grocery store birthday cake. 'Queenpins' Review: Coupon Clippers Go Rogue in a Sly Crime Satire director of photography Film Editing by Kayla Emter . 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. 'Queenpins' Review: Suburban Scammers - The New York Times She was the only one of the three to receive jail time. Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson in QUEENPINS. Queenpins (2021) - IMDb Capitalism always knows how to win. 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. Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. 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. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. On the case to bust them: a supermarket's. But can you live with what you did?. 'We were ordering hundreds of dollars in coupons every month,' one anonymous user toldKentuckys WPSD. Analysts Predict More Deals in the Grocery Store This Year, Savings Apps Are All the Rage This One Most of All, Grocery Shoppers Shrug Off A Tumultuous Year, Couponer Is Dealt A Final Setback In Decade-Old Dispute. Queenpins movie review & film summary (2021) | Roger Ebert 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. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Included in the seizures were $25,000,000 worth of fake coupons, 22 assault weapons, and 21 vehicles including a 40 foot boat. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? The pair are currently starring as crooked coupon buddies in the crime comedy "Queenpins," written and directed by husband-and-wife duo Aron. Before playing Agent Park, he was inTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,Wreck-It Ralph, Bob's Burgers, and many others. For the most part, yes. The ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." 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. Thats the type of money they had.. The comedy Queenpins features a talented cast coming together to tell a crazy true story. Authorities also seized twenty-two assault weapons and twenty-one vehicles, including a forty-foot boat, in the raid.
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