So what does Sherri Papini do now? Years ago, she staged her own kidnapping, which Hulu recently discussed in the docuseries The Perfect Wife — but how does the “supermom” plan to tell her side of the story?

According to People , the then-34-year-old California mother of two was reportedly jogging in her neighborhood when she was abducted at gunpoint by two “Hispanic women” on Nov. 2, 2016. According to NBC , Papini turned up three weeks later on Thanksgiving, nearly 150 miles from home. She was reportedly thrown from a car with a chain around her waist and wrists and a bag over her head, and told police officers that her captors had abused and even branded her. Her dramatic disappearance sparked a six-year, multi-state search — and caught the attention of media outlets around the world.

According to various media reports, Papini’s “Missing girl The “inspired” story — as Time called it — contained inconsistencies that forced investigators to dig deeper. They struggled for years to make a breakthrough in the case, eventually discovering that Sherri was directly involved in her own “kidnapping.” Now, Papini continues to struggle with the legal ramifications of her actions, rarely sees her children and spends time in a lavish home purchased for her by her new boyfriend.

Here’s everything we know about ex-con Sherri Papini — including new details revealed in Perfect woman.

Did Sherri Papini Really Stage Her Own Kidnapping?

Per Today, nearly six years after her disappearance, detectives working on Papini’s case eventually found a man’s DNA on her clothing. That DNA led investigators to Sherri’s ex-boyfriend, James Reyes. According to Time, Sherri and Reyes dated in the early to mid-2000s, and years later, the two reconnected and began communicating via burner phones. Sherri led Reyes to believe that Keith was an “abusive husband,” and Reyes eventually agreed to pick her up from Redding, California, where she lived.

Multiple media outlets reported that Papini had actually been staying with Reyes in Costa Mesa, California, for the three weeks she was missing, and that during that time she asked him to physically beat her to make it appear that she was being abused when she returned. Screenrant reports that she also asked him to brand her with the word “Exodus” and a Bible verse referring to kidnapping – a request Reyes agreed to. About three weeks after she initially disappeared, Papini asked Reyes to drop her off, where she was eventually found.

She still struggles with the legal consequences of her actions

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Papini was charged in April 2022 with 34 counts of mail fraud and one count of making false statements. She pleaded guilty to the latter and one count of the former, and in September, nearly six years after she disappeared, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She was released in October 2023. Earlier that same year, she finalized her divorce from her husband, Keith.

In addition to her legal troubles, Papini has also been struggling financially. Official records state that during the years she maintained her false kidnapping story, she lied to police and made false statements to various government agencies in order to receive benefits for suffering “post-traumatic stress” from her alleged kidnapping. During her sentencing, Papini was ordered to pay back losses suffered by the California Victim Compensation Board, the Social Security Administration, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, totaling $309,902.

People reports that Papini still owes $309,292.23 in restitution as of March, plus an additional $30,929 for a 10 percent litigation fee. The United States Attorney’s Office has filed a writ of garnishment against her and the law firm that represented her in her divorce, seeking compensation.

She reportedly made her children sick on purpose

During Sherri’s arrest in 2022, Keith discovered that his then-wife — who was described as a “super mom” — had intentionally made their children sick by forcing them to inhale rubbing alcohol. ABC10 reported that Keith finalized their divorce in 2023, while Sherri was still in jail.

Despite this, Keith revealed in an interview with TV Insider that his children, Tyler, 11, and Violet, 9, of whom he has full custody, still have contact with their mother. “They talk to her on the phone once a month or every other week … and they see her once a month in professionally supervised visits,” Keith explained.

She reportedly had a history of drug abuse, self-harm and racism

According to news.com.au, insiders came forward with reports that Papini had been struggling with addiction and mental health issues before she was caught lying about her kidnapping. According to the article, a Reddit user wrote that “she (Sherri) and Keith use Kratom and smoke a lot of marijuana,” that “Sherri had a bad benzo addiction for a few years,” and that she had been “buying anti-anxiety pills off the street.”

An ABC report added that Papini’s mother once called 911 because her daughter was “self-harming and blaming it on (her).” Notably, the injuries she was found with after her “abduction,” including a broken nose, were self-inflicted.

Perfect woman also delves into Sherri’s reported history of racism, as her hoax has caused great harm to the Hispanic community.

Where is Sherri Papini now?

People reported that during a supervised visit with her daughter, Papini told her that “Mommy is a writer now” and that she is writing two books.

US Today added that Papini will also tell her story for the first time in an upcoming Investigation Discovery (ID) documentary. It will reportedly “offer new insights and potential answers to the questions that still surround this case” and is scheduled for release in 2025.

Papini also appears to be moving on with her life. In June, British media reported that her current boyfriend Shawn Hibdon had bought her a “luxury four-bedroom home” in Shingletown, California, to live in.