Survivor contestants are known for their larger-than-life personalities on-screen. What's reality TV without a bit of drama, right? But one Survivor 48 contestant's backstory might be more interesting than anything we see this season.
One Survivor 48 contestant allegedly dated Sherri Papini. She infamously faked her own kidnapping in 2016. She was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for the fake kidnapping in 2022. 38-year-old professor Shauhin Davari is appearing on Survivor 48 and has an alleged romantic past with Papini.
In 2016, Papini vanished for 22 days. She disappeared after going for a jog, later resurfacing and spinning quite the tale. She claimed two masked Hispanic women kidnapped her. However, authorities later determined that she had faked the whole thing.
'Survivor 48' Contestant Romantic Past
Prior to Survivor 48, Davari revealed in a 2022 interview with Inside Edition that the two had dated. Problematically, she had been 20, and he had been just 15 at the time. He claims that she lied to him several times including that she had a heart condition.
"She's a compulsive liar," Davari said. "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."
Davari didn't believe that she had been kidnapped when saw it on TV.
"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 said. He also clarified to the outlet that he wasn't the ex-boyfriend accomplice in the fake kidnapping. No, that was a different one of Papini's exes. his name was James Reyes, and he helped her live off the grid for three weeks.
Unfortunately, the lies fell apart. Investigators found some DNA belonging to Reyes. They later charged Papini with mail fraud and making false statements to investigators. She eventually pled guilty to the whole thing. If you're interested in learning more about Papini then watch the 2024 Hulu documentary series Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini. Be sure to tune into Survivor 48 as well.
