Sergeant David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department shares more information about the big counterfeit coupon bust in Phoenix:
From the video:
The ring was believed to be led by 40-year-old Robin Ramirez, according to police. Ramirez and who police believe were her two helpers, Amiko Fountain, 42, and Marilyn Johnson, 54, were arrested Tuesday after police culminated an eight-week investigation by serving search warrants at three Valley-area homes.
“I looked at 15,400 orders,” Lake said.
After digging through what’s believed to be the website used to sale the fake coupons, he found a pattern. “I didn’t see any onesy, twosey type orders. I saw quantity orders.”
He said those quantity orders yielded a lavish lifestyle of nice houses and expensive toys.
“The opulence and the money was the equivalent of drug cartel-type of stuff. That’s the type of money they had,” Lake said.
Previous articles about the Phoenix coupon counterfeiting ring:
- Police, other officials involved in coupon counterfeit case: ‘Operation Super Coupon’
- Counterfeit coupon segments on Good Morning America and ABC World News
- Arizona TV news reports regarding enormous counterfeit coupon bust
- SavvyShopperSite.com: Coupon counterfeiters arrested; sold free-product coupons online and on Ebay
- More details emerge about Phoenix coupon counterfeiting operation
- Phoenix coupon counterfeiters: For an extra $3, you can have a hologram on your coupon!
- Woman says she “saved hundreds” with counterfeit coupons
- Woman spends $600 on SavvyShopperSite.com fake coupons
- Photo galleries of seized counterfeit coupons
- Photos of Phoenix counterfeit coupon bust
- Coupon counterfeiters’ families: “They’re innocent.”
- Full video of Phoenix counterfeit coupon bust press conference
christina23 says
I have not seen one word about this on any of the other coupon/savings blogs I visit. One of those things that make you scratch your head…I know of one site that preaches buy coupons on ebay and I’m wondering how she feels about that now and how many coupons people may have purchased on her advice from the sellers who are supplied by this group.
I really think we are seeing only the tip of the iceberg of the ramifications from this both good and bad.
VJB says
Too bad they can’t also track the cashiers that lost their jobs due to accepting these coupons with even the store managers who had a negative shrink due to the clearinghouses declining some of these coupons. It would have also affected raises for employees if the stores were not reimbursed. These people only cared for themselves and had no thought for anyone else who was probably trying to support a family. Same goes for the clients of the site. I would hate for someone to get fired on my account.
Supermom10 says
This really shocks me – that people buy coupons! I’ve heard people say it is the same thing as buying a paper…. But buying a paper is legal – buying coupons is not! How hard is it for people to understand that. Also, some say they do not get many coupons in their paper. I do not get many in my local paper so I also buy the city paper and get lots more coupons in that paper. I have noticed that this is the only site that I have seen about this – I appreciate all the information you provide for us Jill so that we can all coupon & save the right way.
Charlie Q says
After digging through what’s believed to be the website used to sale the fake coupons, he found a pattern. “I didn’t see any onesy, twosey type orders. I saw quantity orders.”
They couldn’t have onsey, twosey type orders since the site required a $50 minimum to order.