Sherri Papini sentenced 18 months in prison for kidnapping hoax

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sherri Papini has been sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release for faking her kidnapping and committing mail fraud, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Papini was also ordered to pay $309,902 in restitution for losses by the California Victim Compensation Board, the Social Security Administration, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.

Last week, federal prosecutors recommended that Papini spend eight months in prison. A few days later, her attorney asked that she spend one month in prison and seven months under home detention. 

She was charged with 34 counts of mail fraud and one count of making false statements. She pled guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of making false statements. 

Papini was reported missing on Nov. 2, 2016, and was believed to have been kidnapped. Authorities searched throughout California and she appeared 22 days later with various injured. 

Authorities say it was later discovered that it was a false story.