Sherri Papini's Life After Prison and Kidnapping Hoax that Gripped Nation

Sherri Papini reappeared at the side of a highway in California on Thanksgiving in 2016, claiming she had been kidnapped by two Hispanic women when she vanished three weeks earlier.

The mother-of-two said she had been chained up, beaten and branded by her captors who never showed their faces, but authorities grew suspicious when they couldn't track down the alleged criminals.

Papini's story unraveled in 2022, when police arrested and charged her on suspicion of lying to a federal officer. She was sent to prison for up to 18 months and her husband Keith filed for divorce.

With her tale about to be told in a new Hulu documentary series, Newsweek takes a look at Sherri Papini's life since that fake kidnapping claim.

Sherri Papini was jailed

Papini was 34-years-old when she disappeared on Nov. 2 2016, leaving her husband and two children worried about what might have happened to her.

The only trace of her was her earbuds and a few strands of blond hair, near to where she had been jogging.

When she turned up three weeks later, 146 miles from home, chained and badly bruised, she claimed she had been branded and held captive by two Hispanic women.

After years of investigation, authorities determined Papini had orchestrated the entire thing, with the help of her ex-boyfriend James Reyes.

His DNA had been found on her clothes, because she had been staying with him for those three weeks, where she asked him to brand her and help her inflict the injuries.

Papini reportedly told Reyes that she needed his help to get away from her husband because he was abusing her, something he denied in an interview earlier this week.

Papini was arrested in 2022 and was later found guilty of lying to a federal officer, as well as defrauding government agencies out of $300,000.

At sentencing, Papini told the court she was "deeply ashamed" of what she had done, before serving 10 months in jail.

She still owes thousands of dollars a judge ordered her to pay back to authorities, it was reported in March.

Her husband Keith filed for divorce

At first, Keith stood by his wife and believed what she said about her ordeal. They added security around their home and lived in fear of her captors, he told Good Morning America this week.

When the hoax was revealed, however, Keith filed for divorce and their marriage was dissolved in May 2023.

Court records in California show that the couple are still trying to figure out custody of their two children.

She is currently only allowed one-hour supervised visits with the kids, but is seeking additional access.

Court records showed the couple had a trial readiness conference on June 17, with another planned for July 29.

Newsweek reached out to attorneys for Papini for further comment via email Tuesday morning.

What's next for Sherri Papini

Papini recently told her daughter that she is currently writing two books for children.

The plan was revealed in notes taken during a supervised visit in January 2024, seen by People magazine.

When asked what she did for work, Papini also said that she was building a foundation to help supervised visitation centers.

Papini now lives with her auto-dealer boyfriend, Shawn Hibdon in Shingletown, which is around 30 miles from her old home with Keith and the children.

Papini's hoax became so notorious that it even made it into an Eminem song earlier this year.

In the song "Houdini", the rapper mentions the mom by referencing a kidnapping that never happened.

"What you thought you saw (What?), ain't what you saw (Nah)'Cause you're never gonna see me Caught sleepin' and see the kidnappin' never did happen. Like Sherri Papini, Harry HoudiniI vanish into the thin air as I'm leavin' like...." the track says, before returning to the chorus, which samples the 1982 Steve Miller Band hit Abracadabra.

Meanwhile, Hulu's new show Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini will explore the woman's disappearance, as well as the aftereffects felt by Keith and her wider circle.

It will also delve into Papini's past, featuring interviews with those who were closest to her.

The three-part series premieres June 20.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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