Lets break it down. Ill go out on a limb here and predict that their once noble intentions go off the rails. But lets be honest: its hard to feel too sorry for the corporations in this instance. Kristen Bell And Kirby Howell-Baptiste Run A Multi-Million Dollar Coupon Scam In The 'Queenpins' Trailer. 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. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHOat the time. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. Bud Miller is thought to have loosely inspired Paul Walter Hauser's character in the movie, Ken Miller. So will Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain and Marilyn Johnson be going to see Queenpins this weekend? That's not how the world works y'know. However, he doesn't appear to have inspired Vaughn's Kilmurry. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. Queenpins is a quirky crime comedy inspired by a trio of women who made millions of dollars in an elaborate coupon scam. Authorities later estimated that the coupon ring cost corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. 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. Your email address will not be published. That's the psychological illogic of coupons, referred to in the movie as the "coupon high." The Coupon Queens cheated as many as 40 major manufacturers (Business Insider). "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." From left, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. Ramirez, the ringleader, was the only one sentenced to prison time two years while her counterparts got probation. "These aren't 50-cent-off coupons. 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 Her next acting roleisfor the movie Confess, Fletch. [3] In July 2020, it was announced Paul Walter Hauser and Vince Vaughn had joined the cast of the film. In July of 2012, police raided Ramirez's home andseized more than $25 million worth of fake coupons. Goodbye coupons, hello high prices. Yes. 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. The three real-life Coupon Queens carried out their counterfeit operation in Phoenix, Arizona where they lived. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. It was then that they learned of the fakes that were in circulation. "[11] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. As one law enforcement official put it, these were not the fifty-cents-off coupons one might find in their mailbox. Yes. 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. The scheme came crashing down after forty businesses, including major companies like Proctor & Gamble, Hershey, and PepsiCo, filed fraud complaints. 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. Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly's Queenpins concerns two Arizona suburbanites, Connie (Kristen Bell) and JoJo (Kirby . 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. 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, too, declined to respond to requests for comment. 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.. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. $100,000 x 40 is 4 million not 40 million. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. Their script is so nuanced and the words are chosen so perfectly. Included in the seizures were $25,000,000 worth of fake coupons, 22 assault weapons, and 21 vehicles including a 40 foot boat. McHaleis perhaps best known for his role inCommunity, and will next be starring in the series Black Box. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. Visitors to the Savvy Shopper Site website could buy high-value coupons offering free items like detergent, diapers, pet food and more, for pennies on the dollar. 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. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHO at the time. A Loss Prevention Officer and U.S. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. Watch Queenpins: Bebe Rexha On The Experience She's Had So Far Acting In Her First Film Photos 17 Top cast Edit Kristen Bell Connie Kirby JoJo (as Kirby Howell-Baptiste) Paul Walter Hauser Ken Bebe Rexha Tempe Tina Lidia Porto Mrs. Flores Joel McHale Rick Greta Oglesby Mama Josie Eduardo Franco Greg (Cashier) Ben Sidell Man in Line Nneoma Sampson They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. Here's the cast and character guide and the real-life counterparts. 17:42 EST 23 Jul 2021. 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. It's unclear if their real-life counterparts,Ramirez, Fountain, and Johnson, had such charitable aspirations when they started their illicitenterprise. Ramirez, Fountain and Johnson are now having to live with what they did. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. (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 . By mail. 'We were ordering hundreds of dollars in coupons every month,' one anonymous user toldKentuckys WPSD. .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. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. 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. You Are Reading :Queenpins Cast And Character Guide Where You Know The Actors From. If you watch the movie 'Queenpins,' you will see, what I believe, is the first film in Hollywood to feature AEW in the film." Furthermore, Paul Walter Hauser reveals that he has actually had minimal wrestling training with several names from The Nightmare Factory including Anthony Ogogo, Preston Vance, and even WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas . 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. Hauser previouslyworked with Howell-Baptiste in Cruella and also appeared in I, Tonya. 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. "This is to American companies who produced American products and hire American citizens" (DSA). She was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by seven years probation. No. 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. 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. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. Slapstick . Husband-and-wife filmmakers Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly did fly to Arizona in 2018 to interview the real detective who worked the case. "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. It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women, Queenpins Trailer: Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste Are the Robin Hood of Coupons (Video), Netflixs The Sandman TV Series Casts Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death. 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." Despite the absurdity of the synopsis, believe it or not,Queenpins is based on a true story. 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. Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. Judge Daniel Martin sentenced her to 24 months, as well as seven years probation. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. Your email address will not be published. The Phoenix Police Department conducted undercover operations in which they purchased the 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. Queenpins' true story is based on the couponing scam designed by three Arizona women: Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko "Amy" Fountain. Once there, buyers would have access to an array of high-dollar coupons. The coupons are being sent through the mail and the FBI does not take it seriouslybecause it's coupons. This is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. 'We used undercover and covert operations to make purchases and to identify the three suspects,' Holmes said. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. 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. These are free item coupons,' Police Sgt. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. Its that simple. One account had more than $2 million dollars. Their unbelievable success eventually catches the attention of law enforcement. Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha makes her feature film debut in the Queenpins movie. 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. Those are intriguing issues but themovie is less interested in exploring them than it is giving the queenpins makeovers and silly plot detours involving a militia and extended scatological humor. And it does seem like Queenpinswill take a comedic look at the inequality underpinning the counterfeit coupon market. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Produced by Music by Siddhartha Khosla . For example, a person could use a $25 coupon to purchase a $15 bag of dog food and receive the difference in cash. This installment focuses on the true story behind the crime comedy Queenpins.