Why did Sherri Papini fake her disappearance? Story explored as California mother is sentenced to 18 months in prison

Papino told authorities she had been kidnapped during her morning job (image via suspect
Papino told authorities she had been kidnapped during her morning job (image via suspect's family)

On September 19, 2022, 40-year-old California woman Sherri Papini was sentenced to 18 months in prison for allegedly faking her abduction in 2016.

Fox reported that Sherri Papini, a mother of 2, disappeared on November 2, 2016. She resurfaced on Thanksgiving day, November 24, 2016, near Sacramento, where she was found bruised and shackled. Papini told California authorities that she was violently abducted during her morning job. Her accusations prompted a 6-year-old investigation by police.

Sheila Koester, Sherri Papini's sister, implied that Papini was discovered due to a joint effort by many people, including social media users.

Koester said:

"I feel like it was a whole world effort, just with everyone posting on Facebook and the news coverage we got. It was an amazing Thanksgiving."

In addition to allegedly faking her abduction, Papini was also accused of mail fraud for receiving money from the California Victim Compensation Board, claiming that she had post-traumatic stress disorder to her kidnapping.

At her Monday hearing, she told the court that she faked her abduction due to mental health issues which led to her becoming frustrated with her family life.


Sherri Papini wanted to allegedly escape her abusive husband

In her initial statement to authorities, Sherri Papini told officers that two Hispanic women kidnaped her.

In an interview with People News, Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko summed up Papini's account of the so-called 'abductors.'

Bosenko said:

"These Hispanic females are armed, considered dangerous and they have a handgun, at least a handgun with them."

In 2017, as a search continued for the 'abductors,' developments in the case made authorities skeptical of the initial claims made by Sherri Papini. A DNA test of Papini's clothes worn at the time of the alleged kidnapping was done. It revealed that she may not have been in contact with a gang of Hispanic women but rather with a former boyfriend.

BBC reported that Papini had asked the ex-boyfriend to help her escape, as her husband was apparently abusive towards her. The boyfriend told detectives that after 22 days on the run with him, Papini said she wanted to return to her children.

On March 3, 2022, California authorities arrested Papini for mail fraud and lying to an officer. She is accused of self-inflicted wounds to seem like the victim of a violent abduction.

On Monday, in the US District Court in Sacramento, Papini admitted to faking her kidnapping and illegally collecting money from the victim compensation board under the pretense of suffering from PTSD.

She said:

"I am so sorry to the many people who have suffered because of me - the people who sacrificed for the broken woman I was, the people who gave willingly to help me in a time that I so desperately needed help."

Papini has also been ordered to pay $300,000 in restitution to Government agencies involved in the search and subsequent investigation.

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