Sherri Papini kidnapping hoax

An American woman named Sherri Papini disappeared from her husband and family on November 2, 2016, reportedly while out jogging a mile from her home in Redding, California.[1] Papini was 34 years old at the time. She reappeared three weeks later on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, having been reportedly freed by her captors at 4:30 that morning still wearing restraints, on the side of County Road 17 near Interstate 5 in Yolo County, about 150 miles (240 km) south of where she disappeared.[2]

The case garnered major media attention, with national law enforcement experts reporting doubts or otherwise baffled as to the unlikely details and inconsistencies of the reported abduction.

On March 3, 2022, Papini was arrested on charges of making false statements to federal law enforcement officers and for mail fraud. According to the DOJ, Papini fabricated the story of her abduction. She had reportedly been staying with a former boyfriend during the time she was supposedly missing and had harmed herself in order to give credence to her false narrative. She maintained her story when questioned by a federal agent and a detective from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office in August 2020, despite being advised that it was a crime to lie to a federal agent. From 2017 to 2021, Papini had received over $30,000 from the California Victim's Compensation Board.

On March 9, 2022, Papini was released from jail before her trial on a $120,000 bond and after surrendering her passport.[3] She and her lawyer had no comment on the allegations against her.[3] Papini had faced up to 25 years in prison between the charges of mail fraud and lying to a federal officer.[3] However, six weeks after her arrest, Papini signed a plea deal admitting that she had orchestrated the hoax.[4]

Background

Sherri Louise Graeff was born on June 11, 1982. She married Keith Papini in October 2009. The couple have two children together, one son and one daughter. On March 3, 2022, the day on which Sherri was arrested on federal charges, the couple separated. In April 2022, a few days after Sherri pleaded guilty to fraud charges, Keith filed for divorce from his wife and for sole custody of their children.[5]

Timeline

Sherri's husband Keith Papini first became concerned when he returned from his job at Best Buy on November 2 and could not find his wife at home. He eventually used the "Find My iPhone" application to locate her cell phone and ear buds at the intersection of Sunrise Drive and Old Oregon Trail (40.6950511°N 122.318494°W / 40.6950511; -122.318494), about a mile from their home.[6]

According to Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko,[7] in interviews Papini said she was held by two Hispanic women who took steps to keep their faces hidden from her, either by wearing masks or by keeping Papini's head covered. Papini was branded on her right shoulder during her captivity but details of what the brand includes have not been revealed.[8] When investigators questioned Sherri at a later date, she claimed that it looked like a verse from the Book of Exodus, however she didn't provide solid evidence behind this vague claim.[9] According to a statement[10] by her husband Keith Papini, Sherri was physically abused during her captivity, had her nose broken and her hair cut off, and weighed 87 pounds (40 kg) when she was released.

The sheriff said that this is still an active investigation and that authorities are "looking for a dark-colored SUV with two Hispanic females armed with a handgun." The sheriff indicated that there is sensitive information that is not being released at this time.[11] Detectives have authored close to 20 search warrants and they said they’re examining cellphone records, bank accounts, email and social media profiles. Investigators have declined to discuss what prompted them to file the search warrants or why detectives have traveled out of state.[12]

According to Bosenko, Keith Papini "has been cooperative and even volunteered for a polygraph, which he passed." However, Bosenko has not ruled out Papini as a suspect in the abduction, stating "We are keeping an open mind and looking at all avenues."[13] Keith has been reported as possibly compromising the investigation with his statements to the media after Sherri was found.[14]

Authorities declined to comment on specific details of the ongoing investigation but have reported that they are actively pursuing the case. In November, while Papini was still missing, authorities executed more than 12 search warrants in Michigan.[15] The FBI has provided assistance in the case.[16]

Papini was found with both male and female DNA on her, neither of which matched her or her husband. The FBI ran the samples through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and found no matches. In March 2022, it was reported that DNA found on her clothing matched that of an ex-boyfriend, James Reyes, who confirmed that Papini stayed with him during the time she was allegedly kidnapped.[17]

Arrest

On March 3, 2022, Sherri Papini was arrested by the FBI, accused of lying to federal agents and faking her kidnapping to spend time with her ex-boyfriend, away from her husband and family.[18][19] Six weeks after her arrest, Papini signed a plea deal admitting that she had orchestrated the hoax.[4]

Media coverage

At the time of her purported kidnapping, Papini's disappearance was featured extensively in national news, including Good Morning America, 20/20, True Crime Daily, MSNBC, NBC Evening News, Inside Edition, ABC Evening News, The Today Show, The Daily Mail, Primetime Justice on HLN, Us Weekly, Fox News, and the cover of People Magazine.[20]

Since the story was confirmed a hoax, it was again featured in national media coverage on ABC Evening News, CBS Mornings, Good Morning America, NBC News, CNBC, Inside Edition, USA Today, Court TV, People Magazine, and The Today Show. The Papini case was also featured in an episode of Dateline NBC, entitled "The Curious Case of Sherri Papini", and was the subject of many true-crime podcasts.

See also

References
  1. "Missing California 'Super Mom' Found Alive, Bound by Road, Sheriff Says". ABC News. November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  2. "Sheriff: Sherri Papini Was Kidnapped; Captors Still At Large". CBS Sacramento. November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  3. Dennis Romero. "Sherri Papini, California woman who allegedly made up abduction, freed on bond". NBC News, March 9, 2022. Accessed March 17, 2022.
  4. Stanton, Sam (12 April 2022). "California 'Super Mom' will admit her 'kidnap' was all a hoax, accept plea deal". Yahoo! News.
  5. "Husband of Sherri Papini, woman who faked 2016 kidnapping, files for divorce and child custody". CNN.
  6. "Sherri Papini Found Alive, Claims She Was Abducted by Two Hispanic Women". Inquisitr. November 29, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  7. "Full Text Of Nov 30 Press Conference About Sherri Papini's Abduction". November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  8. Heise, Sarah (November 7, 2017). "New video shows Sherri Papini moments before she was found". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  9. "Sherri Papini- Feds detail how missing mom branded, starved self in 2016 kidnapping hoax". Kiro 7. March 9, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  10. "Sherri Papini's husband might have compromised kidnapping probe with public comments, sheriff says". Los Angeles Times. November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  11. "Papini found : At 5 minute and 35 second mark". November 25, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016 – via YouTube.
  12. Sabalow, Ryan (November 25, 2016). "CA kidnapping: Questions remain after missing California mom Sherri Papini reappears | The Sacramento Bee". Sacbee.com. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  13. "Abducted jogger's husband not ruled out as a suspect". New York Post. December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  14. Joseph Serna (2016) Sherri Papini's husband might have compromised kidnapping probe with public comments, sheriff says The Los Angeles Times November 30, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2017
  15. Adam Carlson (2017). How Detectives Continue to Dig on the Case of Calif. Mom Who Said She Was Abducted on a Jog, People. April 3, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017
  16. Ryan Sabalow (2017). Two months after Sherri Papini reappeared, here’s what we know about the investigation The Sacramento Bee, January 30, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017
  17. Dowd, Katie. "FBI affidavit unravels astounding claims about California mom Sherri Papini" SFGate.com, 6 Mar. 2022, https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/FBI-says-Sherri-Papini-made-up-kidnapping-16980963.php
  18. "Sherri Papini, accused of faking 2016 kidnapping, injured herself to further her hoax, feds say". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  19. "California woman's alleged fake abduction cost the public hundreds of thousands of dollars, authorities say". CNN.
  20. Solis, Nathan (December 1, 2016). "National media descend on Redding for Papini case". Redding Record Searchlight. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
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