Sherri Papini

Born in Shasta County, California, Sherri made headlines when she disappeared in November 2016 after going for a jog in her neighborhood. She resurfaced 22 days later and claimed she had been beaten and branded by captors.

Sherri was ultimately arrested in 2022 for orchestrating her abduction. She pleaded guilty to a federal judge later that year and was sentenced to 18 months in jail for committing mail fraud and lying to a federal officer about being kidnapped.

Sherri was also ordered to pay more than $300,000 in restitution for losses incurred by the California Victim Compensation Board, the Social Security Administration, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She was released from prison in August 2023.

After Hulu released Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini in 2024 with interviews featuring Sherri’s estranged husband, Keith Papini, and more of her loved ones, she broke her silence one year later.

Investigation Discovery’s Caught in the Lie, which was released in 2025, featured Sherri’s claims that her ex-boyfriend James Reyes was allegedly responsible for her kidnapping. Reyes disputed the claims when interviewed by government officials and was never officially charged in connection to her kidnapping.

Sherri, who shares two kids with Keith, has released two memoirs on her alleged experience, including the June 2025 book: Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie: A Comprehensive Account of Her Disappearance, the Layers of Deception and the Journey to Uncover Reality.