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. 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." Yes. In the movie, the women are fictionalized as Connie (Bell) and Jojo (Howell-Baptiste), who end up living much the same way. Then-forty-year-old Robin Ramirez led the group, which included Marilyn Johnson, then-fifty-four, and Amiko Amy Fountain, then-forty-two. This is much more inspired So we dont really know anything about the real players and we kind of didnt want to. Thats the type of money they had.. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department. .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. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to clean the money theyve made from selling coupons. Her term of probation was recently extended for another five years, after she fell more than $4,000 behind in her restitution payments. Queenpins is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. The True Story Behind the Movie Queenpins - Film School Rejects Authorities later estimated that the coupon ring cost corporations hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. Lets break it down. And in terms of the crime itself, Queenpins stayed pretty loyal. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. Despite the absurdity of the synopsis, believe it or not,Queenpins is based on a true story. Shedisplays considerable comedy chopsin films like Bad Momsand is also well-known for her role as Anna inDisney's Frozen franchise. Coupon enthusiast Jill Cataldo warns, "Even though many places sell coupons online, you should never buy them. 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. Here's the cast and character guide for Queenpins, along with comparisons to some of the characters' counterparts in real life. Savvy Shopper Site had a few other suspicious requirements. According to KTAR News, a Phoenix radio station, the group focused on manufacturers coupons, which typically offer a free item or significant discount. 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. Together, they set up a website called Savvy Super Saver, and eventually make millions of dollars in turn, costing multiple manufacturers millions of dollars. The acting was solid, though the relatively unknown Paul Walter Hauser stole the movie. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell's Crime Comedy In July of 2012, police raided Ramirez's home andseized more than $25 million worth of fake coupons. Your email address will not be published. Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly's Queenpins concerns two Arizona suburbanites, Connie (Kristen Bell) and JoJo (Kirby . 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. So they may be the first ones to tell you that coupon crime may make for a great Hollywood comedy but in real life, its no laughing matter. Ame hissed, "Getting partnered with someone like me. Postal Inspector lead the investigation into their activities, encountering multiple humorous setbacks along the way. The CIC and some of its members were on location in a mobile command unit watching the bust." The site's name was inspired by the legit coupon magazine Savvy Shopper, which is in no way related. (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 . 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. And I just want to play the humanity of the guy while adding some comedic elements to him.. Tellingly, the changes to the details of the real law enforcement and private investigators make them less sympathetic. Summary: Amelia Watson, a senior but loose cannon, problem child detective of City PD, has to prevent a war. Two women create a $40 million coupon scam. The film's largely painful humor is informed by the mistaken belief that the main characters' criminal enterprise is inherently quirky. Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting, fraud, and illegal control of an enterprise. No. This film wasn't deep, and at times it stretched credibility, but it was fun and engaging. He also focused more on the character aspect of his part, rather than talking to anyone actually involved in loss prevention. David Lake said. These are free-item coupons," Phoenix Police Sgt. No Offense, But These 2 Big Retailers Aren't The Cheapest Ad MoneyWise. -TIME. 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. They were also ordered to pay Proctor & Gamble more than $1.2 million. They'd then sell them on eBay and a website, SavvyShopperSite, for a profit. 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. Queenpins True Story: The Real-Life Inspiration Explained - ScreenRant The fake coupon game isnt a joke. How Kristen Bell and Kirby Howell-Baptiste's Real-Life Friendship Led Autumn has a Master of Arts in English from Northern Michigan University, where she also taught superhero-themed composition courses. Related:Worth Cast & Character Guide: What The Real People Look Like. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. $100,000 x 40 is 4 million not 40 million. 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. They also come into possession of guns, cars and boats in an effort to. 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. The filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, chose not to interview the real Queenpins for the movie. 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. 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. Annie MumoloasCrystal - Mumolo appears in the minor role of Crystal. She portrays a fictional computer hacker named Tempe Tina, who helps the two main characters with their coupon scam. Law-enforcement authorities, manufacturers, and retailers advise against purchasing coupons. 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. The idea started just as a way for their two families to make ends meet as they struggled to pay the bills. The ring used a series of twelve different bank accounts to house their money. 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). YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. 'Queenpins': Here's the Real Story Behind Kristen Bell's - Yahoo! They also seized more than $2 million in other assets, including 22 guns, cash, 21 vehicles, and a speed boat. (music by) Cinematography by Andrew Wehde . In real life, the Phoenix Police Department led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI. She lives with her mother and is trying to be an entrepreneur with a series of YouTube videos featuring tips on saving. Whatever Happened to the Real-Life Queenpins? In addition to the $40 million in counterfeit coupons that they confiscated, police seized $2 million in assets from the three women, including four homes, 22 guns, a 40-foot speed boat, and 21 vehicles. [9], Other box office grosses include Russia ($326,012), Ukraine ($221,109), "[Ringleader Robin Ramirez] would bring in these coupons from overseas in large quantities, quantities we never could imagine and she would sell them on her website for about 50 percent of face value," said Sgt. I was very excited when I saw on the front page of the script that was based on a true story.