Woman Jailed For selling $17,000,000.00 In Fraudulent Coupons

by Alex Lloyd Gross

In the 2001 movie Queenpins, two women were arrested for selling fake coupons. That movie came to life as federal authorities said Janet Bernal,49, of San Antonio Texas was sentenced to 15 months in Federal prison after she was convicted of making and selling fake coupons.

Bernal previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge William Martini in Newark federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Martini imposed the sentence on September 9, 2026. The scam worked like this.

People paid a monthly fee and were then given access to a website that had all kinds of coupons available for download. She operated this from June 2020 through August 2024. All told, she defrauded stores out of more than $17 Million .

Bernal to two years of supervised release, ordered her to forfeit $67,290.68, and ordered her to pay $17,865,614.70 in restitution.

U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation.