'Hoax' revisits Sherri Papini’s kidnapping case. How to stream film

The case of Sherri Papini, the young woman who shocked the nation with a multi-year kidnapping hoax, has been the subject of multiple documentaries since her conviction in 2022. "Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherry Papini," now streaming on Netflix, takes a more dramatized approach to unpacking the case.

First released as a made-for-TV movie in 2023, "Hoax" came to streaming on Friday, May 15, reigniting interest in the bizarre crime. Directed by Marta Borowski and starring Jaime King of "Black Summer" fame, the film takes place primarily in the months and years following Papini's return 22 days after her 2016 disappearance.

Following the Papini family and detectives who unraveled the inconsistencies in Sherri Papini's story, which ultimately led to her arrest, the fictionalized retelling is described by the streaming service as a "dark thriller."

Here's what to know about streaming "Hoax" and the real Papini case.

Revisiting the Sherri Papini case

On Nov. 2, 2016, Sherri Papini, 34, went "missing" while out jogging near her home in Redding, California, reported the Redding Record Searchlight, part of the USA TODAY Network. Her husband, Keith Papini, called police later that day after returning home to find her missing and her phone and headphones, entangled with strands of her hair, along the street about a mile from their home.

The mother of two, aged 4 and 2 at the time, had dropped her kids off at daycare earlier that day, where they remained. When her husband called 911, he told the operator that he was "totally freaking out thinking somebody grabbed her."

Papini resurfaced 22 days later on Thanksgiving, near Interstate 5, about 150 miles from her home, with her long blonde hair cut short, bruises and a brand on her body. She told police she had been taken at gunpoint and held by two Hispanic women she wasn't able to identify, spurring a multi-year investigation.

It wasn't until 2020, when DNA collected from her clothing was traced back to her ex-boyfriend, James Reyes, that the story truly began to unravel.

When confronted, Reyes admitted that Papini had been staying at his Southern California home voluntarily during the time of her supposed kidnapping. Her injuries were self-inflicted, a subsequent police investigation found, and Reyes had been led to believe that he was helping her escape an abusive relationship.

Papini wasn't arrested until March 2022, when the FBI accused her of lying to federal agents and faking her own kidnapping. While she initially denied the allegations, she ultimately pleaded guilty the following month to one count of making false statements and one count of mail fraud. She was also ordered to pay $300,000 in restitution.

Her attorney cited mental health issues as a motivator for her actions. She ended up serving 10 months of an 18-month sentence in prison.

Papini's ex-husband, who filed for divorce after she pled guilty, previously told USA TODAY that he believed the ultimate motivation behind the hoax was his wife's lust for attention.

"I feel there's absolutely zero remorse for what she has done,” he said. “I don't even think she understands how big of a lie – and I've used the term ripple effect – that she has caused throughout so many lives. I don't think she cares, personally.”

How to watch 'Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherry Papini'?

"Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherry Papini" is currently streaming on Netflix. It is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Fandango for $2.99 to $3.99, or as part of a Lifetime Movie Club subscription.

Netflix subscriptions come in three tiers: a "Standard with ads" plan for $8.99 a month, a "Standard" plan for $19.99 and a "Premium" plan for $26.99.

'Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherry Papini' cast

According to Netflix, the movie's cast includes:

• Jaime King as Sherri Papini
• Matt Hamilton as Keith Papini
• Josh Collins as Chris (a dramatized character for the movie)
• Lossen Chambers as Detective Molly Rowlands
• Jill Teed as Loretta Graeff (Sherri Papini's mother)