‘Survivor’ Season 48 Contestant’s Shocking Connection to Kidnapping Scammer Sherri Papini Revealed

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One of the men competing on Season 48 of Survivor has history with Sherri Papini, the woman who admitted to orchestrating a kidnapping hoax in 2016. Shauhin Davari revealed in 2022 that he actually dated Papini years ago.

At the time, Davari told Inside Edition that Papini was a “compulsive liar,” adding, “She would not talk to you for three or four days, and then all of a sudden there’d be some fantastical story about what happened.” He said their relationship occurred when he was just 15 years old. Papini was 20 at the time.

“In retrospect, sure, tons of red flags,” he admitted. “That she was a counselor that was going out with a 15-year-old.”

In the interview, Davari detailed some of Papini’s alleged lies. Because the then-teenager was an avid surfer, Papini allegedly claimed to also love the sport. “There was always an excuse as to why she couldn’t go surf,” Davari recalled. “And she had to have her surfboard that was at her house, but she didn’t have any pictures.”

Davari also accused his ex of “faking a heart condition,” which he eventually figured out wasn’t real.

Papini made headlines in 2016 after her husband reported her missing after she went out for a jog. Three weeks later, she was found bruised and branded. Papini claimed that she had been kidnapped by two Hispanic women, but later admitted that the whole ordeal was a hoax. In fact, she was actually at an ex-boyfriend’s house at the time. Davari said he was skeptical from the beginning.

“I was like, ‘There’s no way. She’s fine. I promise you she’s fine. There’s just no chance that she got kidnapped,'” he shared. He was also facing an influx of questions about whether he was the ex Papini had gone to see. “I want to stop people from thinking I am the guy who hid her or helped or had any contact with her,” Davari insisted.

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After a lengthy investigation, Papini was arrested in March 2022. She struck a plea agreement by pleading guilty to one count of making false statements and one count of mail fraud. Papini was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She completed her sentence in August 2023. Meanwhile, Davari will compete on the upcoming season of Survivor.

Survivor, Season 48 Premiere, Wednesday, February 26, 8/7c, CBS

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