For those following the story of the Phoenix counterfeit coupon ring, which sold millions of counterfeit free-product coupons online, the leader of the counterfeiting ring was sentenced today. Robin Ramirez has been sentenced to two years imprisonment with credit of 287 days for time served to be followed by seven years of probation. A restitution hearing will be scheduled in the near future.
Ms. Ramirez has been ordered to pay back $5 million in restitution, even though one report estimated the ring earned tens of millions of dollars and defrauded companies out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Does the punishment fit the crime? Coupons in the News has more details:
Hundreds of companies victimized. Thousands of customers scammed. Tens of millions of dollars raked in. And two years in prison. That’s fair, right?
That was the sentence handed down today to 41-year-old Robin Ramirez, the ringleader of a counterfeit coupon operation that was busted in Phoenix last summer. Ramirez pleaded guilty in February to charges of counterfeiting, fraud and illegal control of an enterprise.
One additional charge of forgery was dropped. Under the terms of her plea agreement, she was to serve prison time only for the counterfeiting charge, for which two years was the maximum sentence. At her sentencing hearing today before Judge Daniel Martin, Ramirez was credited with the nearly ten months she’s already spent behind bars, so she really has just over a year more to serve. She’ll also serve seven years’ supervised probation for the other two charges, and has been ordered to pay restitution “in an amount not to exceed $5 million”.
It’s a victory for authorities and the couponing community, but also something of a disappointing end for ethical couponers who hoped authorities would throw the book at the counterfeiters. Serving just a little bit of jail time, and having to pay back just a little bit of the money they took in, seems a small price to pay – and little disincentive for others who might look to follow in their footsteps… So if you can scam companies out of tens of millions of dollars, and only have to pay back a mere $5 million if you’re caught, why not give it a try yourself?
leahmason says
It was a good decision to have this ringleader arrested. It is a very serious crime to sell counterfeit coupons.
llamalluv says
But if I’m understanding other articles correctly, she has also lost her home and vehicles and other assets, as well as all her cash accounts. So, all she really has is her memories of the money she made!