Sherri Papini is finally speaking out about her alleged kidnapping — but did she admit it was all a hoax?
Investigation Discovery released the official trailer on Thursday, May 1, for their four-part docuseries about the controversy titled Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie, which marked the first time Papini, 42, has spoken out on camera about her alleged kidnapping and subsequent legal drama.
“Haven’t you ever lied? And then has that lie been blown up?” Papini said in the clip. “I went missing in 2016 and was gone for 22 days. I was tortured, I was branded, I was chained to a wall — all of that is true. I did keep some secrets from you though.”
In addition to Papini, the docuseries will feature interviews with her parents, sister-in-law, the federal authorities, her former lawyer and her psychologist as everyone weighs in on whether they think Papini’s version of events is true.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Sherri Papini‘s life drastically changed after she claimed to have been abducted — only to get arrested for faking her own kidnapping. Before her legal drama, Sherri lived in Redding, California, with then-husband Keith Papini and their two kids: Tyler and Violet. Keith reported Sherri missing in November 2016 and the wide-spread […]
“I am willing to do whatever it takes,” Papini told the producers before taking a polygraph test where she was asked if she was “able to leave at any time without fear of violence” during her kidnapping.
According to the trailer, Papini appeared to stand by her version of events, adding, “I am Sherri Papini. I was abducted and tortured and the FBI said I made it all up. I really challenge anybody watching this film, ‘How truthful are you?’”
Sherri Pappini YouTube/Investigation Discovery
Papini originally disappeared in November 2016 after going for a jog in her California neighborhood. She resurfaced 22 days later and claimed she had been beaten and branded by captors.
As new details emerged following her return, Papini 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.
“[I am] so sorry for the pain I’ve caused my family, my friends, all the good people who needlessly suffered because of my story and those who worked so hard to try to help me,” Papini said in a statement at the time about how “deeply ashamed” she was of her actions. “I will work the rest of my life to make amends for what I have done.”
Papini 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.
The case recently became a topic of conversation again when Hulu released Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini in June 2024. Sherri’s now-ex-husband, Keith Papini, and several of her family members and loved ones participated in the docuseries. Law enforcement also broke down how they ultimately pieced together the clues that pointed to a kidnapping hoax.
Sherri Pappini YouTube/Investigation Discovery
Sherri, however, is using Investigation Discovery’s Caught in the Lie special to tell her version of events. She specifically was asked about her marriage to Keith, to which she said, “In pictures it looks perfect — like we were an amazing couple. We both participated in some pretty toxic behaviors.”
When Hulu’s Perfect Wife was released, Keith offered an update on where he stands with Sherri.
“No, I don’t speak to her at all whatsoever,” Keith, who was previously awarded full custody of their two kids, told TV Insider in June 2024. “I might see her in the court for our court stuff, but no, I don’t talk to her.”
Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie airs on Investigation Discovery Monday, May 26 and Tuesday, May 27, at 9 p.m. ET. Episodes will also be available to stream on Max.
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