On April 28, 2023, a group of men known as the grandpa robbers began their trial in Paris, facing serious charges for the notorious robbery of reality TV star Kim Kardashian. This high-profile case involved the theft of jewelry valued at millions of euros during Paris Fashion Week nearly a decade ago. The heist, which occurred in 2016, was labeled the largest robbery involving a single individual in France in over 20 years.
At the time of the robbery, several of the accused individuals were approaching retirement age. The crime was executed with alarming precision; the suspects, dressed in ski masks and clothing resembling police uniforms, tied up Kardashian using zip ties and duct tape. Investigators reported that they made off with a staggering $4 million engagement ring given to her by her then-husband, rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, along with other valuable jewels.
Kardashian is set to travel to Paris in May to provide evidence during the trial, which is expected to last nearly a month. In a heart-wrenching 2020 interview with David Letterman, Kardashian recounted her harrowing experience during the robbery. She vividly remembered fearing for her life, expressing her desperation by repeatedly asking the concierge, who had been forced to lead the robbers to her apartment, whether they would survive the ordeal. "I kept looking at the concierge... I was like, 'Are we gonna die? Just tell them I have children, I have babies... I have to get home,'" she recalled, fighting back tears.
Thanks to DNA traces discovered on the plastic bands used to bind Kardashian's wrists, police were able to make arrests in January 2017. In total, 10 individuals are set to be tried by the criminal court. Five of these suspects face charges of armed robbery and kidnapping, while the others are charged with either complicity in the heist or unauthorized possession of a weapon.
One of the accused, 71-year-old Yunice Abbas, has publicly admitted to his involvement in the robbery, even going so far as to write a book detailing his role in the crime. Abbas, who spent 20 years of his life in prison prior to the robbery, expressed in an interview with French television channel TF1 that he intended for this to be his last big job. He mentioned that he had been informed about a significant diamond being the target, but he did not know it would be associated with The Kardashians star.
Chloe Arnoux, the lawyer representing Aomar Ait Khedache—nicknamed Omar the Old and alleged to be the group's ringleader—stated that her client could potentially spend the remainder of his life in prison, given his age. In a recent interview with BFM TV, Arnoux revealed that Ait Khedache had attempted to reach out to Kardashian with an apology letter, which was intercepted by authorities.
This ongoing trial shines a light on the gravity of the crime and its impact on Kardashian's life, as well as the significant legal repercussions facing those involved in the infamous Paris jewelry heist.
