After investigating her purported kidnapping, police found that Papini had fabricated the incident and had actually been hiding out with an ex-boyfriend in Southern California.
Papini, according to federal charges against her, “created the injury” during her stay with her ex. This included hitting herself for bruises and burning her arms.
“She told federal law enforcement officers and others that she had been abducted by two Hispanic women,” an FBI special agent wrote in a criminal affidavit filed in a California court. “Papini provided information about the two alleged Hispanic women and sent texts to FBI agents regarding the instruments used by the Hispanic woman to cause injuries. [her]. However, this was a false narrative Papini fabricated; in truth, Papini was staying with a former boyfriend and harmed herself to support her false statements.”