She was found 22 days later, bound up and beaten 150 miles from her home, however, after a careful investigation, Sherri turned out to be the mastermind of her own kidnapping.
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Who is Sherri Papini’s estranged husband, Keith?
Keith is Sherri Papini’s husband.
The couple reportedly got married in 2009 and share two young children together.
On April 22, 2022, however, the Sacramento Bee exclusively revealed that Keith filed for divorce from Sherri two days earlier.
The announcement came days after Sherri pleaded guilty to one count each of mail fraud and lying to a federal officer.
According to court documents obtained by The US Sun, Keith wrote: “The whole problem started in November 2016 when Sherri left our children at a daycare and simply disappeared.
“Both I and, especially, our children were traumatized by her disappearance and I spent much time and money trying to find my wife,” Keith writes.
“The trauma inflicted on our children at the unexpected loss of their mother was heartbreaking,” he added.
As of November 2023, Keith is currently taking care of their two children in their home in California.
Hours before she vanished in 2016, Papini sent a message to her husband Keith asking if he would be home for lunch. He said that he wouldn’t be.
She failed to pick up her kids from a daycare center and was reported missing on November 2.
Keith told ABC News in 2016: “Everybody who knows my wife knows that there’s no reason for her to leave.
“She was definitely taken against her will.”
Keith found her cell and earphones as he searched for his missing wife.
FBI investigators didn’t identify him as a person of interest after he successfully passed a lie detector test.
However, 22 days later, on Thanksgiving, Papini was found beaten and bound.
After a careful investigation, it was revealed that Papini faked her own kidnapping in an effort to be with a past lover.
She initially claimed that she had been kidnapped by two Hispanic women.
This story fell apart when investigators found DNA evidence on a piece of clothing that led back to Reyes.
Sherri was arrested in March 2022 and later pleaded guilty to making false statements and mail fraud.
What was Papini charged with?
On April 12, 2022, Papini was charged with 34 counts of mail fraud and one count of making false statements to police.
She pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of making false statements and was convicted on September 19.
Papini was sentenced to 18 months in prison in her case and ordered to pay more than $300,000 in restitution to federal, state, and local agencies.
After her sentencing, Papini stood before the court to say: “I stand before you humbled by the court. I’m so sorry to the many people who have suffered because of me. I thank you all.
“I am guilty of lying and dishonor. I trust in this court … and I trust in you. What was done cannot be undone. I am choosing to humbly accept all responsibility.”
She was released from prison in October 2023 — six months early.
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Where is Sherri Papini now?
On March 3, 2022, Sherri was arrested by police for allegedly faking her kidnapping.
While cops searched for her, she was staying with an ex-partner – 600 miles from her home in Orange County.
The mom-of-two told cops that she was abducted and alleged that she was held at gunpoint.
She claimed she was kidnapped by two women and provided sketches of the alleged kidnappers.
She was found tied up, had a broken nose, and had a “brand” on her right shoulder.
Cops revealed that the injuries were “self-inflicted”, according to NBC.
Papini was charged with making false statements and engaging in mail fraud, according to People.
Keith has not been charged with any involvement in the kidnapping.
A spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office said they were unable to make a statement on the matter.
They said: “What I can say is he’s not being charged.”
On October 23, 2023, Papini appeared in court to demand a portion of her ex-husband’s insurance payout after his California home was impacted by a wildfire in 2021, ABC News reported.
Papini argued that she was entitled to half of the payout, however, Keith revealed the money was gone.
He went on to state that the money was used for living expenses and a $500 monthly allowance paid out to his mother who was housing him and his family.
As Papini cried on the stand demanding her payout, Keith revealed Sherri racked up a significant credit card debt.
According to the Daily Mail, Papini allegedly made a $3,200 purchase at Best Buy.
When Papini was asked about her large purchases, she repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment.
On June 6, 2024, People revealed that Sherri was writing two books according to notes kept by a monitor supervising the convicted mom’s contact with her children.
According to a supervised visitation report from January 17, 2024, Sherri told her child that she was writing two books.
She said, “Do you know what an author is? Mommy’s also an author now. She’s writing two books.
“I work lots of hours to write chapter books. So, when I tell you I’m working remotely, that means I’m at home writing chapters on my laptop.”
Sherri’s case will be revisited in Hulu’s latest docuseries, Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini.
All episodes will be available for streaming on Hulu on June 20, 2024.