REDDING, Calif. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that a Northern California woman who was arrested last week for faking her own 2016 kidnapping and lying to federal agents investigating the alleged abduction can be released from jail.
The Sacramento Bee reports that a federal judge ruled Tuesday that Sherri Papini can be released after her family posts a $120,000 bond, which they were expected to do later Tuesday.
Panini was arrested Thursday on charges of lying to federal agents about being kidnapped and defrauding the state’s victim compensation board of $30,000.
Officials say Papini’s abduction hoax cost Shasta County, state and federal taxpayers, crime victims and donors more than $200,000.
