Topline
A Paris court on Friday found eight of 10 defendants guilty of helping carry out the 2016 robbery of billionaire reality television star Kim Kardashian, more than a week after Kardashian told the court she thought she was “going to die” as the robbers stole about $9 million in jewels.
Kardashian was robbed in 2016 during Paris Fashion Week. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/GC Images)
Key Facts
Aomar Aït Khedache, the 69-year-old considered the ringleader of the robbery, was found guilty and received the longest sentence of eight years in prison, though five of those are suspended, with three others receiving sentences of seven years in prison with five years suspended.
All of those given a prison sentence will not serve any additional time because of the time they have already spent in pretrial detention, the Associated Press reported.
Most of those charged in connection with the robbery were in their 60s and 70s, leading French media to nickname them the “grandpa robbers,” and presiding judge David De Pas acknowledged their age in delivering what he called “lenient” sentences.
The defendants faced charges including armed robbery, kidnapping, and other gang and weapons charges.
Kardashian, who testified last week but was not present in court for the verdict, said in a statement Friday she is “deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case,” calling the robbery the “most terrifying experience” while stating she believes in “growth and accountability” and hopes for “healing for all.”
What Did Kim Kardashian Say During Her Testimony?
Kardashian took the witness stand in Paris last week, testifying she thought she would going to be raped and killed during the robbery, which took place on Oct. 2, 2016, during Paris Fashion Week at the Hôtel de Pourtalès. She said she was not assaulted or hit, but was “grabbed and dragged into the other room” at gunpoint and bound with zip ties as robbers stole her jewelry. Kardashian said she pleaded to the robbers, “I have babies and I need to get home to my babies,” who told her she would be fine if she stayed quiet. Following the robbery, Kardashian said she changed many of her habits, including having security guards present while she sleeps. During her testimony, the judge read a letter written by Khedache asking for Kardashian’s forgiveness. “I do appreciate the letter, I forgive you for what has taken place, but it doesn’t change the emotion and the feelings and the trauma,” Kardashian replied. Before Kardashian testified, her friend and former stylist, Simone Harouche, who was staying on the floor below her during the robbery, testified that she was woken up by Kardashian “screaming with terror in her voice.”
Key Background
The robbery garnered international attention in 2016, including some skepticism, which Kardashian criticized. Kardashian filed, and quickly dropped, a lawsuit against the MediaTakeOut tabloid for posting articles suggesting the robbery was faked. The tabloid backtracked, and founder Fred Mwangaguhunga admitted, “It’s now clear that she was robbed. It’s clear that the reporting that we did hurt her.” Among the pieces of jewelry stolen from Kardashian was a $4 million ring her then-husband Kanye West had given her as a “second engagement ring.” West had given Kardashian the ring just weeks before the robbery, during which time she frequently flaunted it on social media.
Forbes Valuation
Kardashian is worth $1.7 billion, according to Forbes estimates, the majority of which comes from her stake in her shapewear brand Skims. She launched a skincare collection, SKKN By Kim, in 2022, after shutting down her previous cosmetics company, KKW Beauty. Kardashian first rose to fame as a reality television star on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and its various spin-offs.
Further Reading
Kim Kardashian Testifies In Paris Robbery Trial: Says She Thought She ‘Was Going To Die’ (Forbes)
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