Where is Cortney Shegerian now? All about Hossein Nayeri’s ex-wife from Wicked Game: Devil in the Desert

Cortney Shegerian is the ex-wife of Hossein Nayeri, the perpetrator showcased in ABC's new docuseries, Wicked Game: Devil in the Desert. The series premiered on Hulu on February 4, 2025, and follows the events that led to Nayeri's arrest back in 2014.

In October 2012, Hossein Nayeri, along with two accomplices, abducted a marijuana dispensary owner, Michael S, and his roommate, Mary Barnes, from their residence in Newport Beach, California. They were convinced he had money buried in the desert and demanded a million dollars from Michael.

When Michael denied having any hidden money, he was brutally tortured and mutilated, while Barnes was left with her hands and feet zip-tied. The two were left in the middle of the Mojave Desert in California.

Wicked Game: Devil in the Desert explores the details of the gory incident. It includes never-before-seen footage and interviews with several people who were deeply involved in the happenings, including Nayeri's then-wife, Cortney Shegerian.

Shegerian played a key role in Nayeri's arrest as she aided the authorities in luring him from his home country, where he had fled. She helped them arrest and extradite Nayeri. She is currently a lawyer and lives in California with her family.

The three-part docuseries, produced by Katie Muldowney and Jake Lefferman for ABC News Studios, is now streaming on Hulu. The official synopsis, as per Hulu, reads:

"Hunting the mastermind of a violent abduction, authorities unravel a twisted tale of obsession during the early days of legalized pot."

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Where is Cortney Shegerian now?

Cortney Shegerian had divorced Nayeri when he was in prison after his initial arrest. She attended Fresno State University and, in 2018, founded the Shegerian Conniff LLP. She has been named one of the "Most Influential Women Lawyers in Los Angeles" multiple times.

She is affiliated with several legal bodies, including the American Bar Association, Consumer Attorneys of California, and more. She is also a panelist for several organizations, including the Beverly Hills Bar Association and the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.

She has volunteered in several women's shelters over the years and has spoken in different seminars. She is married to Adam Mortanian, with whom she shares a five-year-old daughter Collette. The family currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

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Cortney Shegerian helped with Nayeri's arrest

After Nayeri's victims were rescued from the Mojave Desert, one of his accomplices was caught, causing Nayeri to panic and flee to his home country of Iran.

The police recovered evidence from the accomplice's car linking Nayeri to the abduction. They recruited Cortney Shegerian, his wife at the time, who was in touch with Nayeri, to lure him to a country from which he could be extradited to the US.

Cortney Shegerian had financially helped Nayeri to establish his marijuana business, but he regularly abused her. She was diagnosed with PTSD and Battered Person Syndrome at the time.

Following Nayeri's escape to Iran, Shegerian initially tried to protect her husband but later became cooperative to avoid getting prosecuted herself. She convinced Nayeri to meet her in Spain, and he was arrested by authorities when he landed in Prague, Czech Republic, to catch the flight to Spain.

Cortney Shegerian also testified against Nayeri, claiming she had heard him and one of his accomplices playing with a blowtorch a few weeks before the kidnapping, which had been used to torture Michael S. She also revealed that she had been asked to purchase four burner phones by Neyari at the time.

After being arrested, Nayeri had briefly escaped from prison in 2016 but was captured again. He is currently serving two life sentences without parole at the Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad, California.

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Wicked Game: Devil in the Desert is now streaming only on Hulu.