McMillions

McMillions‏‎ is a documentary series that premiered on HBO on February 3, 2020. The series explores the McDonald's Monopoly game scam that occurred between 1989 and 2001, led by Jerome Jacobson, an ex-cop turned security officer. The scam involved Jacobson rigging the McDonald's Monopoly promotional game, which resulted in $24 million worth of fraudulent winnings.

Overview

The McDonald's Monopoly game was a sales promotion run by the fast-food chain McDonald's. The game involved collecting game pieces, which were attached to McDonald's packaging, for a chance to win prizes. However, between 1989 and 2001, the game was manipulated by Jerome Jacobson, who was responsible for the distribution of the game pieces.

Jacobson, who worked for Simon Marketing, the company that ran the promotion, stole winning game pieces and sold them to third parties. These third parties would then claim the prizes, giving a cut to Jacobson. The scam was eventually uncovered by the FBI in an operation named "Final Answer".

Documentary Series

The six-part documentary series, McMillions‏‎, delves into the details of the scam. It features interviews with the FBI agents who cracked the case, McDonald's executives, lawyers, and the individuals who falsely claimed the prizes. The series was directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte.

Reception

McMillions‏‎ received positive reviews from critics. It was praised for its storytelling, character development, and the depth of its investigation into the scam. The series was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series.

See Also

• List of American television series
• List of documentary films
• List of true crime films and series