The plot of the crime-comedy movie “Queenpins” is on two ladies who devise a novel means of generating income. It all started with their passion for coupons, which they feel is underappreciated given how much money they end up saving using them over time. But when they find out they can sell coupons and make a lot of money, things take a turn. Connie Kaminski is the originator of the concept since she is the first to see the price that consumers are willing to pay for coupons. Connie is the creative force behind the whole endeavour, even though she enlists Jojo Johnson to assist her. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that she draws inspiration from a genuine person.
Queenpins: Connie Kaminski and Robin Ramirez – Behind the Schemes
Connie Kaminski is a Fictional Rendering of a Real Queenpin
The true story of three ladies who made millions by selling coupons—including fake ones—is the inspiration for the film “Queenpins.” Following their hearing, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly thought of a movie concept. They did not delve too much into the matter, even while they looked for the essential facts. Additionally, they refrained from contacting the actual “queenpins” as they maintained that, despite the movie’s inspirations, all of the events and characters were all made up.
The concept of obtaining free coupons and reselling them is originated by Connie Kaminski in the film. In real life, Robin Ramirez was recognised as the mastermind behind the scheme that made millions of dollars for her, Marilyn Johnson, and Amiko Fountain. Connie isn’t based on any of the three women specifically, but her persona and the part she performs in the narrative most closely resemble Ramirez, who is reported to have begun selling coupons around 2007. She discovered where the coupons came from. She would purchase them in bulk from abroad and resell them for roughly 50% of their original cost.
The purchasers were allegedly persuaded to purchase at least $50 worth of coupons, which allowed them to save twice or three times the amount they would have otherwise had to pay. She was operating alone for a while until Fountain and Johnson joined her. One of them made their own website and started purchasing coupons from Ramirez to offer on her own, a tactic that many other customers also used. Ramirez gained a considerable fortune as a result.
When officials raided Ramirez’s home in 2012, they discovered counterfeit vouchers valued at over $25 million. Furthermore, $2 million worth of assets—among them, automobiles, speedboats, and firearms—were also discovered to be in her control. It was rumoured that she had rented an aviation hangar where she stored the cars—among them, a speedboat, an RV, and a Corvette worth more than $150,000. Millions of cash were discovered to be hidden in multiple bank accounts that belonged to her. Ultimately, it was discovered that the entire amount taken from her was valued at almost $40 million.
Where is Robin Ramirez Now?
In July 2012, Robin Ramirez, Johnson, and Fountain were apprehended and charged with multiple offences, including money laundering, forgery, and counterfeiting. Later, Ramirez entered a guilty plea to charges of “fraud, counterfeiting, and illegal control of an enterprise” and was sentenced to two years in jail and seven years of probation. Johnson and Fountain, who joined the company later, testified against Ramirez. She was not charged with forgery. She was ordered to pay $1,288,682 (which Johnson and Fountain also received in their sentencing) to Procter & Gamble as restitution of the losses they suffered as a result of the illegal operation, in addition to the jail time that her accomplices did not receive.
It is reasonable to presume that she has already left prison since her 2013 sentencing. Her probationary period was purportedly extended by five years since she was allegedly falling behind on her reparation payments, which at the time were reportedly $4k. It is anticipated that she will need to work for a very long time in order to pay off the debt given the large amount she must pay and the fact that she has no income to match it.
While it is common for people to profit monetarily from making films based on their lives and crimes, Ramirez and her accomplices were unable to do so because Arizona law prohibits them from profiting from the sale of their criminal stories. Ramirez has decided that, in light of everything, it is preferable to carry on living a quiet life in hiding while continuing to atone for her transgressions.