The California mom who claimed she was kidnapped, beaten and branded as she was held captive for three weeks was arrested Thursday on charges of lying to federal authorities and mail fraud.
In 2016 a nationwide search was launched for a woman who disappeared while jogging, her phone and earbuds were dropped by the side of the road. Three weeks later, in chains, her hair cut short, and her body bruised, she flagged down a driver, claiming she had been released by two armed women who had kidnapped her.
The Yolo County sheriff confirmed in interviews after her reappearance that she had also been branded and that it was not known if it was random or targeted. The FBI released sketches of two unknown individuals based on information provided by Papini. She had been in contact with a male friend shortly before her disappearance, and that male DNA was found on her clothing, raising new questions. At that time, the sergeant of the sheriff said that police still believed Papini.
According to the Department of Justice, investigators have determined that Papini made it all up, that she caused the injuries to herself, and that she was actually staying at the home of a former boyfriend in Southern California.
The investigation revealed that there was no kidnapping and that time and resources that could have been used to investigate actual crime, protect the community, and provide resources to victims were wasted based on the defendants conduct.
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