How an Ex-Cop Rigged McDonald’s Monopoly Game and Stole Millions

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Jerome Jacobson and his network of mobsters, psychics, strip-club owners, and drug traffickers won almost every prize for 12 years, until the FBI launched Operation ‘Final Answer.’

On Aug. 3, 2001, a McDonald’s film crew arrived in the bustling beach town of Westerly, Rhode Island. They carried their cameras and a giant cashier’s check to a row of townhouses, and knocked on the door of Michael Hoover. The 56-year-old bachelor had called a McDonald’s hotline to say he’d won their Monopoly competition. Since 1987, McDonald’s customers had feverishly collected Monopoly game pieces attached to drink cups, french fry packets, and advertising inserts in magazines. By completing groups of properties like Baltic and Mediterranean Avenues, players won cash or a Sega Game Gear, while “Instant Win” game pieces scored a free Filet-O-Fish or a Jamaican vacation. But Hoover, a casino pit boss who had recently filed for bankruptcy, claimed he’d won the grand prize–$1 million.

Like winning the Powerball, the odds of Hoover’s win were 1 in 250 million. There were two ways to win the Monopoly grand prize: Find the “Instant Win” game piece like Hoover, or match Park Place with the elusive Boardwalk to choose between a heavily taxed lump sum or a $50,000 check every year for 20 years. Just like the Monopoly board game, which was invented as a warning about the destructive nature of greed, players traded game pieces to win, or outbid each other on eBay. Armed robbers even held up restaurants demanding Monopoly tickets. “Don’t go to jail! Go to McDonald’s and play Monopoly for real!” cried Rich Uncle Pennybags, the game’s mustachioed mascot, on TV commercials that sent customers flocking to buy more food. Monopoly quickly became the company’s most lucrative marketing device since the Happy Meal.

Inside Hoover’s home, Amy Murray, a loyal McDonald’s spokesperson, encouraged him to tell the camera about the luckiest moment of his life. Nervously clutching his massive check, Hoover said he’d fallen asleep on the beach. When he bent over to wash off the sand, his People magazine fell into the sea. He bought another copy from a grocery store, he said, and inside was an advertising insert with the “Instant Win” game piece. The camera crew listened patiently to his rambling story, silently recognizing the inconsequential details found in stories told by liars. They suspected that Hoover was not a lucky winner, but part of a major criminal conspiracy to defraud the fast-food chain of millions of dollars. The two men behind the camera were not from McDonald’s. They were undercover agents from the FBI.

This was a McSting.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-an...stole-millions

The story is so interesting Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are making a movie about it.

https://variety.com/2018/film/news/b...ly-1202893453/

[TimSJ]

great read thanks

[WhiteTiger]

That was a very neat and meaty read. Especially how/why it disappeared from the public consciousness.

[bigtmac19]

I read this a couple of days ago. Just fascinating!

[Royle9]

Agreed, could make a movie out of this script for sure.
Cant believe this went on for so long!

[OMG!WTF!]

Jerome Jacobson and his network of mobsters, psychics, strip-club owners, and drug traffickers won almost every prize for 12 years, until the FBI launched Operation ‘Final Answer.’

As a former Witches of Salem Psychic Network telephone psychic I am just so offended at being lumped in with common mobsters and strip club owners.

[Huntingwhale]

Great story. I had no idea about any of this, but obviously the events of 9/11 took precedence when the trial was going on.

Stupid McDonald's lol

[Locke]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

As a former Witches of Salem Psychic Network telephone psychic I am just so offended at being lumped in with common mobsters and strip club owners.

I drive by a truck advertising a 'Celtic Witch Psychic' from time to time, is that your car?

[speede5]

Wow. I had never even heard of this and I collect those things every year. Never really thought I'd win much, looks like the odds were really stacked against. A couple guys at work won a car back in the 90's which gave us all hope. haha.

[Stormageddon]

Originally Posted by speede5

Wow. I had never even heard of this and I collect those things every year. Never really thought I'd win much, looks like the odds were really stacked against. A couple guys at work won a car back in the 90's which gave us all hope. haha.

You know people from Jacksonville?

[CaptainCrunch]

I find the whole psychic thing to be such an amazing con.


I still loved the late night ads. The guy from Miami Vice, the psychic friends hotlines. But my personal favorite was the Jo Jo psychic hotline, she "predicted the death of her brother", however she didn't warn him, so she should have been Jo Jo the ahole psychic hotline.

[Raekwon]

So I ate all that McDonalds for nothing back then with no chance at a big prize.

[troutman]

People Are Convinced 'Roll Up The Rim To Win' Is A Scam Because No One Ever Wins


https://www.narcity.com/life/people-...-one-ever-wins


the odds of winning the big prizes are pretty rough:

• Odds of winning a car: 1 in 7,498,772
• Odds of winning a TV: 1 in 1,999,672
• Odds of winning a TimCard: 1 in 12,498
• Odds of winning food or beverage: 1 in 6
• Odds of winning a $5,000 CIBC Prepaid card: 1 in 2,999,509

[GP_Matt]

McDonalds handled this really well. They randomized all of their stores and gave away $1 million dollars to 10 random customers.

[Raekwon]

Originally Posted by troutman

People Are Convinced 'Roll Up The Rim To Win' Is A Scam Because No One Ever Wins


https://www.narcity.com/life/people-...-one-ever-wins


the odds of winning the big prizes are pretty rough:

• Odds of winning a car: 1 in 7,498,772
• Odds of winning a TV: 1 in 1,999,672
• Odds of winning a TimCard: 1 in 12,498
• Odds of winning food or beverage: 1 in 6
• Odds of winning a $5,000 CIBC Prepaid card: 1 in 2,999,509

My brother won a bike way back and it was on a cup he found on the ground, I suspect many cups get thrown away with prizes contributing to this theory.

[ZedMan]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Agreed, could make a movie out of this script for sure.
Cant believe this went on for so long!

Didn't take long https://variety.com/2018/film/news/b...ly-1202893453/

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by troutman

People Are Convinced 'Roll Up The Rim To Win' Is A Scam Because No One Ever Wins


https://www.narcity.com/life/people-...-one-ever-wins


the odds of winning the big prizes are pretty rough:

• Odds of winning a car: 1 in 7,498,772
• Odds of winning a TV: 1 in 1,999,672
• Odds of winning a TimCard: 1 in 12,498
• Odds of winning food or beverage: 1 in 6
• Odds of winning a $5,000 CIBC Prepaid card: 1 in 2,999,509

I know someone won a bike at the TH near my work years ago but I've never heard of anyone winning anything substantial. The prizes have got worse over the years especially once they got bought by Burger King as I used to win a lot of coffee and donuts with the roll ups but as the years go buy you win less and less. I kind of feel Tim Hortons has been taking advantage of Canadians promoting the brand as some sort of Canadian past time while ripping us off with 7/11 quality food, leaky cups/lids that leave messes of coffee in your car and anywhere else you transport them, and far less winners on RUTRTW.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by ZedMan

Didn't take long https://variety.com/2018/film/news/b...ly-1202893453/

Well I'll be damned, and with those 2 involved I'd give it a watch for sure.
Could be a really good flick!

[Northendzone]

This story has so many characters, should make for a very interesting movie

[Iggy_12]

When is the movie supposed to come out?!