Keith Papini said he had suppressed early doubts. He described sensing something was off when he first saw his wife in the hospital after her return — a felt wrongness that he could not articulate or prove. When he saw her injuries, he felt guilty for doubting her, and the guilt collapsed the doubt. The physical evidence of harm was real, even though the cause of the harm was not what she claimed.
His public comments since the case became public have emphasized the betrayal of everyone who trusted her, including family members, friends, and the broader community that mobilized during her disappearance. He said she had “committed to the lie every single day.” He accused her, in the phrasing of public interviews, of “taking advantage of everybody’s kindness.”
He filed for divorce in 2022. In a June 2024 interview, he said he and Sherri were still working on a custody agreement for their children. He said the experience still haunted him and that he expected it always would.
—
## Sentencing: September 19, 2022
The sentencing hearing was held on September 19, 2022, in United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. The presiding judge was William B. Shubb.
Papini addressed the court and apologized. She accepted responsibility. Her attorney, William Portanova, cited her mental health history and difficult childhood as mitigating factors.
Judge Shubb sentenced Papini to 18 months in federal prison, to be followed by 36 months of supervised release.
She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $309,902.22. The restitution covered losses incurred by multiple agencies as a result of her fraudulent conduct: the California Victim Compensation Board, the Social Security Administration, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI. The restitution was separate from the funds she had obtained directly from the Victim Compensation Board — that $30,694.15 formed part of the figure, but the larger restitution total also captured investigation costs.