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. They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. Next:Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. [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. Why the USPS? The true story behind Queenpins reveals that the women bought them in bulk overseas and then posted them for sale on sites like eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com, which is now defunct. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. Lets break it down. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 'Queenpins' Plot Summary 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. 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.
A bright spot is Bebe Rexha as a dark web expert who helps Connie and Jojo launder their money. [5] In October 2020, Bebe Rexha joined the cast of the film. 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. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? Her ancestry is Polish (mother) and German, English, Irish, and Scottish (father). Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. 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. One account had more than $2 million dollars. Yes. 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 Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. We dont want people to think its funny.
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). The duo then interview a group of postal workers, who remember JoJo, especially because Earl is always watching her videos. Had their deals been a little worse, maybe the women would have never gotten caught. 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. 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 Cast And Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From 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'm saving money!" 'Sometimes I would come out with three carts of groceries.'. According to Time magazine, they went undercover and purchased coupons as part of their effort to locate the source. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. Queenpins, directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, adapts a real-life story and presents it most humorously and entertainingly. She was the only one of the three to receive jail time. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. The ladies account is frozen due to suspicious activity, so Connie realizes they need to prove their business is legitimate. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. (music by) Cinematography by Andrew Wehde . The story actually began more than a decade ago, when the women started selling their coupons online. Okeniyi appeared in The Hunger Games and Run Sweetheart Run, and his next role is in Greek Freak. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. The postal inspector tells Connie it's 1 year for every $100,000 earned fraudulently and that she's looking at 40 years. On the case to bust them: a supermarket's. Un par de amas de casa crean una estafa de cupones de 40 millones de dlares. 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. The coupons were sold on a site called Savvy Shopper Site, to which interested parties had to be referred or invited directly to use. 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 Writers Balance Comedic Tone with Real-Life Drama in Coupon Caper By: Shanee Edwards Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Johnson and Kristen Bell as Connie Kaminski in QUEENPINS. You cant make this stuff up and the filmmakers didnt have to. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. "I am not spending money!" The group would have fake coupons made oversees, including reproductions of legitimate coupons and made-up ones with steep savings. She does not seem to take it too seriously, telling us that "this is a story about little old coupons.". The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. 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. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud.
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. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. 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. Vince Vaughnas Simon Kilmurry -Vince Vaughn plays Simon Kilmurry, a U.S. postal inspector who works with Ken to investigate the coupon scam. "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.
Queenpins - Chapter 3 - Elias_Pedro - Archive of Our Own 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. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap.
Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste on friendship, coupons - Los The character mainly functions to forward the plot and as the other half of the "buddy-cop" duo with Ken Miller (Paul Walter Hauser). Required fields are marked *. Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha makes her feature film debut in the Queenpins movie. 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. Its that simple. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. They don't call it robbery; they prefer "removing" or "separating.". 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. But thats just Connie and Jojo. While it's hard to know how many customers knew they might be engaging in criminal activity, there were a few red flags that should have at least made them suspicious. The opening scenes show Bell's character getting arrested before a flashback to explain what happened. For the most part, 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. Howell-Baptiste previously worked with Bell on Veronica Mars and The Good Place. 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. She and JoJo then learn that the coupons originate from an Advanced Solutions factory in Chihuahua, Mexico, deciding to travel there and collect the coupons to redistribute to other mothers and wives. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars.
Queenpins Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From Eventually, they brought in Phoenix police, who conducted aneight-week investigation. 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. In February of 2013,Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise, though a forgery charge was dropped. Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. It was then that they learned of the fakes that were in circulation. I just decided I really wanted to play the curmudgeon nature of the character. They joined forces with several other affected companies and hired private investigators to track the source of the fraudulent coupons. No. They included coupons for anything from Hershey bars to dog food to diapers. Kristen Bell stars as Connie Kaminski, a suburban housewife who just wants to find a solution for the debtburying her and her husband. , updated After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. The film is based on the true story of three Arizona women arrested in 2012 for a $40 million fraud involving 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. 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). He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Thats the type of money they had, Sgt. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life."
The REAL story behind Kristen Bell's upcoming movie Queenpins Carly Stern For Dailymail.com
HBOs Rain Dogs Finds Humor, Despair in the Working-Class Mum at its Center, Berlinale Highlights, Part Three: Hummingbirds, Concrete Valley, Afire, The Oneness of All Things: On Sofia Alaouis Animalia, New York International Childrens Film Festival Opens Window to the World. That is the basic premise of Queenpins, a comedy reuniting The Good Placeco-stars Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the two leads. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. 'Its like Robin Hood,' Howell-Baptiste's character says in the trailer, summing up the coupon fraud plan. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. [7], Principal photography began in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Queenpins Movie Writer-Directors Aron Gaudet and Gita - Awardsdaily Neither of them responded to requests for comment about their case, and how or whether they have managed to move on from it. Afterwards, the duo begins their own website and small business "Savvy Super Saver", which helps them sell numerous coupons and generate profit.
Had the system been better then, Lake said, we could have arrested probably another 50 people at least, who were buying hundreds of these coupons at a time and saying, I know theyre fake, but they work great.. 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. Ken is the kind of guy who desperately wants to present himself as a stoic, but when alone, screams in rage. 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. 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." And thats why they make excuses, he said. Slapstick . Bud is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an industry veteran. 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. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. However, they quickly learned that with a little crime, they could actually make money off of it. Queenpinshits theaters on September 10th and will be available to stream via Paramount+ on September 30th. The Coupon Information Corporation got wind of the scheme, and brought it to the attention of investigators, which is how it eventually landed on the desk of Phoenix Police Sergeant David Lake. 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.
Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. I have never purchased coupons from a clipping service or an auction site." This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. She suggestsmaking fake identities and multiple accounts to store their earnings. [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. This includes forums and any public viewing areas or websites.". It appeared the women were making so much money, they werent even sure how to spend it all. The Arizona coupon ring's leader, Robin Ramirez, and her accomplices, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain, were arrested in July of 2012. 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. They also turned to the Coupon Information Corporation. It might have been more interesting to have lead police officer on the case a woman, as it was in the actual arrest. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life.
Paul Walter Hauser Got AEW References Into 'Queenpins' Film - Fightful The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. A look at the counterculture movement that became the religious right. Because at Coupons In The News, we believe an educated consumer is the best couponer! Ken: Yeah no, even if I wanted to switch, I think it's more important that your daughter learn a valuable lesson. In researching the Queenpins true story, we learned that Procter & Gamble did an audit of their third-party coupon processors. 'We gotta steal these coupons and sell them to families who really need them. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. However, everything that's built onto this premise in the movie is almost entirely fictional. 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. It's not a seamless fit. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. A charge for forgery was dropped. 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. The real Queenpins' mugshots are displayed below. Tempe Tina does not have a real-life counterpart. 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, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing.
Queenpins True Story: The Real-Life Inspiration Explained - ScreenRant They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). Queenpins' cast of characters also includes familiar faces like Bebe Rexha, Vince Vaughn, and Joel McHale in supporting roles. 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.
'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell's - Yahoo! It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. 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. Follow and/or unfollow him on Twitter. 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. "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". Here . From writer-directors Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, the film stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Ba. These are free item coupons,' Police Sgt. Shedisplays considerable comedy chopsin films like Bad Momsand is also well-known for her role as Anna inDisney's Frozen franchise. You don't always get your way. [Resumes eating snacks and looking out the window], Watch Queenpins: Gita Pullapilly & Aron Gaudet On Why Kristen Bell And Kirby Howell-Baptiste Were Right For Their Roles, Watch Queenpins: Kristen Bell On How She Became Involved In The Film, Watch Queenpins: Paul Walter Hauser On What Drew Him To The Film, Watch Queenpins: Kirby Howell-Baptiste On How She Became Involved In The Film, Watch Queenpins: Bebe Rexha On The Experience She's Had So Far Acting In Her First Film. By
"This is to American companies who produced American products and hire American citizens" (DSA). 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. And why Bell and co-star Paul Walter Houser didnt talk to the real people behind the characters they play.
The trail led to the Arizona coupon ring located in Phoenix. 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. See production, box office & company info.
The True Story Behind the Movie Queenpins - Film School Rejects Joel McHaleas Rick Kaminski- McHale plays Connie's husband who is worried about their growing amount of debt. Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. 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. (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'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. In the wake of the bust, all three women pleaded guilty. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. 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. He described digging through trash cans, conducting surveillance, and ultimately kicking in the doors of the three womens homes, where they found a treasure trove of evidence coupons, cash, guns, along with what they later discovered was an airplane hangar filled with sports cars, a fully decked-out RV and a 40-foot speedboat. .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. Ramirez, the ringleader, was the only one sentenced to prison time two years while her counterparts got probation. Authorities also seized twenty-two assault weapons and twenty-one vehicles, including a forty-foot boat, in the raid. 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.
'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell - TheWrap 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. 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.
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