A woman whose fabricated kidnapping story captivated and then outraged the nation is now offering a revised account of the events, claiming key elements of her ordeal were genuine.
In a trailer for an upcoming documentary series, the individual states she disappeared for 22 days in 2016 and endured torture, branding, and being chained. “All of that is true,” she asserts in the promotional clip. However, she concedes, “I did keep some secrets from you, though.”
The case began when the woman, then a married mother, vanished during a run in November 2016. She later told authorities she had been abducted at gunpoint by two Hispanic women. Her disappearance triggered a massive, costly search and a wave of public sympathy.
The narrative unraveled years later when an investigation revealed she had voluntarily stayed with an ex-boyfriend. In 2022, she pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud and making false statements, admitting she had fabricated the kidnapping. She was ordered to pay over $300,000 in restitution and served an 18-month prison sentence, which concluded in late 2023.
Now, in the documentary trailer, she appears to walk back her full confession, framing her story as one of “betrayal and violence.” She directly challenges the official conclusion, stating, “I was abducted, I was tortured and the FBI said I made it all up.”
Her ex-husband, who initially supported her claims, later cooperated with prosecutors. In a past interview, he expressed deep skepticism about any future accounts from her, suggesting they would be crafted to serve her objectives rather than reflect the truth. “It will not be the truth,” he stated.
The documentary series, which promises to explore the layers of deception and its aftermath, is set to premiere later this month.
