queenpins real characters

They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. The bare-bones blueprint for the story is accurate; a small group of women make millions selling 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. Neither of them responded to requests for comment about their case, and how or whether they have managed to move on from it. Fountain and Johnson were both sentenced to three years probation after pleading guilty to a single count of counterfeiting. 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 July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. 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. 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. Authorities later estimated that the coupon ring cost corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. After six months, the pair figure their money is safe to use, but because the money is dirty, they need to spend and clean it. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. They were ringleader Robin Ramirez (46 at the time of her arrest), Marilyn Johnson (62), and Amiko "Amy" Fountain (42). The ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. She was born and raised in Huntington Woods, Michigan, and is the daughter of Lorelei (Frygier), a nurse, and Tom Bell, a television news director. Queenpinsdebuted in theaters on September 10, 2021. Like a coupon high, the fun of this movie does not last. Preferred customers could get even better deals on better coupons. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. 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. The film is based on the true story of three Arizona women arrested in 2012 for a $40 million fraud involving coupons. [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. While the characters in Queenpins are fictional, the crime they came up with is the real deal. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life Queenpins? [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. After tracing the origins of the ring to Phoenix, the FBI then teamed up with local law enforcement to bust the group. His character represents the law enforcementin charge of tracking down the women responsible. Dave Lake told CBS5 later. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. The movie takes a more lighthearted angle on the real story, having to combine ortweak some of the people involved in order towork better as a film. Nick CassavetesasCaptain Pain - Cassavetes plays Captain Pain in Queenpins. 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. 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. Joel McHaleas Rick Kaminski- McHale plays Connie's husband who is worried about their growing amount of debt. From left, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. You Are Reading :Queenpins Cast And Character Guide Where You Know The Actors From. Ramirez pleaded guilty to illegal control of an enterprise, counterfeiting and fraud. Indeed, the movie is inspired by a true story, but just how closely does the film follow the events and people its based on? Yes, a bear actually did consumer millions of dollars worth of cocaine. Aron and I were immediately drawn to the story and had to understand it more, Pullapilly said. In a later scene, another postal service worker says they stole 40 million in counterfeit coupons. 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. 'These aren't 50 cent off coupons. 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. 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. We're all looking for a loophole to find our joy and happiness in life." 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. But thats just Connie and Jojo. [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. 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. she says. Others nabbed coupons for free pet food, diapers, and household goods from as many as 40 major manufacturers, including PepsiCo and Hershey. And they get a monthly reminder every time they make their latest restitution payment. But I I sort of didnt approach it from an occupational standpoint, Houser told TheWrap. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. No one who purchased coupons faced legal repercussions, but one cant help but think that they are the real losers here. Two women create a $40 million coupon scam. The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. And why Bell and co-star Paul Walter Houser didnt talk to the real people behind the characters they play. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. 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. A look at the counterculture movement that became the religious right. They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. However, Ken Miller, a hapless loss prevention officer for the A&G Family Marts stores in the Southwestern United States, learns about the coupons and the losses several companies are taking, and pressures his superiors before ultimately deciding to handle the case himself. A judge sentenced Ramirez to twenty-four months in prison and seven years probation. 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). She does not seem to take it too seriously, telling us that "this is a story about little old coupons.". The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. 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. Talk about extreme couponing! $100,000 x 40 is 4 million not 40 million. [13], Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 04:25, "STXfilms' Kristen Bell Coupon Clipping Scam Comedy 'Queenpins' Sells US For $20M+ To Paramount+ & Showtime", "Leslie Jones-Kristen Bell Coupon Caper 'Queenpins' Lands With Rocket Science Cannes", "Vince Vaughn & Paul Walter Hauser Join Comedy 'Queenpins' With Leslie Jones & Kristen Bell", "Kristen Bell & Kirby Howell-Baptiste Coupon Scam Comedy 'Queenpins' Snapped Up By STX Toronto", "Bebe Rexha Joins Kristen Bell in Comedy 'Queenpins', "Dayo Okeniyi, Joel McHale, Nick Cassavetes, Michael Masini, Eduardo Franco, Paul Rust And 3 More Join 'Queenpins'; Jack McBrayer And Annie Mumolo To Cameo", "And so it begins #Queenpins", "STX Dates 'Queenpins', 'National Champions', 'Violence Of Action' & Untitled Guy Ritchie Movie For 2021 & Beyond", "Paul Walter Hauser Quietly Steals Delightful Crime Comedy 'Queenpins', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Queenpins&oldid=1139643182, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 04:25. 17:23 EST 23 Jul 2021 She really likes to watch out the window as we land and it helps calm her down. 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. Rexha's character helps Connie and JoJo evade the authorities, mainly by strengthening their internet security. A real disc jockey inspired Robin Williams classic character. Rare $300 sign-up bonus card hits market Ad The Ascent. Of course, the trailer also shows them later living in luxury and boarding private jets. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. After gathering sufficient evidence, Simon and Ken finally get agents to arrest the pair. In July 2012, police in Phoenix, Arizona arrested three women in a coupon scam that cost manufacturers roughly $40 million. Couponing goes criminal in the new trailer for Queenpins. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. 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. 110 minutes Cast Kristen Bell Kirby Howell-Baptiste as JoJo Paul Walter Hauser Vince Vaughn Joel McHale Bebe Rexha as Tempe Tina Dayo Okeniyi Nick Cassavetes Michael Masini Paul Rust Eduardo Franco Marc Evan Jackson Lidia Porto Greta Oglesby Jack McBrayer Annie Mumolo Director Aron Gaudet Fountain and Johnson each pleaded guilty to one charge of counterfeiting. Except that these ladies sold unauthorized or forged coupons for a fraction of the face value to consumers who used them to get lots and lots of stuff without paying for it. Ramirez, the ringleader, was the only one sentenced to prison time two years while her counterparts got probation. The amount covered all of P&G's losses, for the fake coupons as well as extra manpower needed to deal with the issue. No Offense, But These 2 Big Retailers Aren't The Cheapest Ad MoneyWise. Queenpins. -TIME, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. 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. And it does seem like Queenpinswill take a comedic look at the inequality underpinning the counterfeit coupon market. Instead, Hauser's character is a loss-prevention officer for a grocery store chain. The scheme came crashing down after forty businesses, including major companies like Proctor & Gamble, Hershey, and PepsiCo, filed fraud complaints. 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. 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. In real life, the FBI did get involved, along with the non-profit Coupon Information Center. The Queenpins true story reveals that there were three women involved in the real-life scheme, not two like in the movie. 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 . 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 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. No, not at all, Bell told TheWrap. The three women, Robin Ramirez, Amiko Fountain, and Marilyn Johnson, mostly sold free-product coupons. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Lets break it down. 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. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Ramirez, Fountain and Johnson are now having to live with what they did. A bright spot is Bebe Rexha as a dark web expert who helps Connie and Jojo launder their money. 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. 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. Ramirez, too, declined to respond to requests for comment. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with credit for 287 days served, and seven years of supervised probation. 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 come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. (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 . 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. 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. 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. 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. Dayo OkeniyiasEarl - Okeniyi plays Earl, who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, which results in a hilarious interrogation scene with Ken and Simon. Tellingly, the changes to the details of the real law enforcement and private investigators make them less sympathetic. 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. And where does that curmudgeonly frame come from? 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. Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com. 'We were ordering hundreds of dollars in coupons every month,' one anonymous user toldKentuckys WPSD. David Lake, who led the Phoenix Police Departments investigation, told KPHO at the time. Eventually, they brought in Phoenix police, who conducted aneight-week investigation. They may also expose themselves to additional risk by providing their names, home addresses, and financial information to organized crime rings." "You've got yourself an eighteen-karat run of bad luck, kid.". Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. 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. She is also known for her appearances in Killing Eve and Cruella. And it seems like the makers of the movie share this sentiment. Queenpins Cast And Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From, Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like, Free Guy Cast, Characters & All Cameos Guide, Q-Force Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From. Before playing Agent Park, he was inTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,Wreck-It Ralph, Bob's Burgers, and many others. 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. After complaining about cereal gone stale, the pair receives dozens of freebies, inspiring them to hatch an illegal coupon club scheme. US Postal Inspector Simon Kilmurry (Vince Vaughn) appears to be entirely fictional. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. Afterwards, the duo begins their own website and small business "Savvy Super Saver", which helps them sell numerous coupons and generate profit. Review: Scamming Audiences with Sophomoric Humor and Dubious Politics. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. He can next be seen in the movie Delia's Gone. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. The trail led to the Arizona coupon ring located in Phoenix. 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. Directed and written by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, the movie stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Vince Vaughn, Paul Walter Hauser, and Bebe Rexha. The details were first revealed after a Tuesday morning raid in July 2012 by the Phoenix Arizona Police Department. Okeniyi appeared in The Hunger Games and Run Sweetheart Run, and his next role is in Greek Freak. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. [9], Other box office grosses include Russia ($326,012), Ukraine ($221,109), You can't make this stuff up - and the filmmakers didn't have to. These companies included Hershey, Procter & Gamble, and the Coupon Information Corporation. 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. She also was ordered to pay restitution of up to $5 million. 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. 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. In the movie, Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste play Connie and Jojo, a pair of best friends from Phoenix who love extreme couponing. -Investigative Consultants. Bell has extensive experience in Broadway, television, and film, leading successful TV series like Veronica Mars and The Good Place. On the case to bust them: a supermarkets loss-prevention officer and a US postal inspector, played by Paul Walter HauserandVince Vaughn, respectively. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. It's very easy to say their words," says Kristen. But thats just Connie and Jojo. He has been commended by the FBI for supporting them in numerous efforts to fight "complex coupon fraud schemes." Herreal-life counterpart isRobin Ramirez, who police considered the ringleader of the criminal operation. Ame hissed, "Getting partnered with someone like me. The women sold their counterfeit coupons on various online sites, including eBay and their own website, SavvyShopperSite.com. 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." 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. Just to make him more sympathetic, in addition to the $2 an hour, he has a pregnant wife who also works at the factory. 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. Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. , updated She was the only one of the three to receive jail time. The counterfeiting scheme was previously featured in theCBS TV docu-series Pink Collar Crimes in 2018. 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. Vaughn is also currently appearing in the series Curb Your Enthusiasm. The pair are currently starring as crooked coupon buddies in the crime comedy "Queenpins," written and directed by husband-and-wife duo Aron. 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. On the case to bust them: a supermarket's. Some movies are based on true stories, some movies are inspired by true stories. Queenpins has arrived in theaters and on Paramount+, telling the story of the countrys largest counterfeit coupon scam. Your email address will not be published. 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. And I think it comes from loneliness and feeling isolated and kind of under-utilized or under-appreciated. 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.

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