Rating (3.5 out of 5)

Summary: An HBO show, that I would view twice just to watch the FBI agent “Doug Matthews” again. He was super entertaining and must be one heck of a handful at the bureau. This docuseries is interesting and quite fun to view, but it is about 2 episodes too long. A brief glimpse into white-collar crime and behind the scenes view of how hard the FBI has to work in order to complete a case. Also, if there was justification for harsher penalties for white-collar criminals, this movie is one to watch.

Plot: In the 1990s the FBI received a tip that the McDonald’s Monopoly game was rigged and they started an investigation. They were surprised by how big the case became.

Detail: Most shows make the FBI seem dull and boring. The FBI agent Doug Matthews was a hoot and was show onto himself. The other FBI agents obviously enjoyed their job and relished catching their man. Every time I see a light meter for a photoshoot I now think of the FBI.

The story of how the FBI went from a tip they had received; to linking the case to “Uncle Jerry” was definitely the most intriguing part of the film. Doug’s undercover operation by itself could be a move. I laughed a lot. Once we find Uncle Jerry, then the show loses a little momentum. The show picked back up the pace for the last two episodes, as we made arrests and went to trial.

The part that struck me about the story was the damage done to people’s lives. The man who couldn’t return to his church, the woman who was just hoping she wouldn’t go to jail, the stepbrother who thought he did the right thing. All of these people committed crimes but suffered so much more than the mastermind. I don’t think the punishment fit the crime in this case. The erosion of trust and lost jobs hurts people. People need to be dissuaded from committing these crimes with harsher penalties.

Such a fascinating story and an interesting set of interviews. Amazing that this all took place. I had forgotten about the case. “McMillions” is a fun flashback.