Supermom Sherri Papini Admits to Hoax, Now Demands More Time With Her Children

Sherri Papini is back in court fighting for custody of her children. She wants to be reunited with one child and increased visitation the another. Her ex-husband, Keith, was granted full custody after Papini was charged with 34 counts of mail fraud and one count of lying to the FBI. Ultimately Papini pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of making false statements. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $300,000 Keith’s defense claims Sherri's actions, perpetuating the hoax that she had been kidnapped, put the children through "hell" and "they could not thrive under her "pathological personality."

Sherri Papini admits her 2016 kidnapping was a hoax. The 39-year-old mom was reported missing on November 2, and told investigators when she was found 22 days later that a pair of Hispanic women kidnapped her at gunpoint. Papini said her kidnappers abused her and then shoved her out of a car. Papini was emaciated, her hair was cut shorter, and she had cuts and bruises all over her body, but prosecutors said she caused the injuries herself. The case was broken in 2020 when DNA led investigators to Papini’s ex, who told them she had been with him the entire time. When Papini accepted a plea deal, she didn't explain why she created an elaborate kidnapping hoax, but did apologized for her actions.

Joining Nancy Grace Today:

• Sheriff Michael Johnson - Shasta County Sheriff's Office
• Matthew Mangino - Attorney, Former District Attorney (Lawrence County), Former Parole Board Member, Author: "The Executioner's Toll: The Crimes, Arrests, Trials, Appeals, Last Meals, Final Words and Executions of 46 Persons in the United States"
• Dr. Angela Arnold - Psychiatrist, www.angelaarnoldmd.com, Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital
• Bill Garcia - Private Investigator, "Bill Garcia Investigative Services", Part of Search Team for Sherri Papini
• Kristy Mazurek - Emmy Award-winning Investigative Reporter, President: "Successful Strategies"

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