PARIS, France – A trial that has captivated the public’s imagination for nearly a decade is now underway in Paris, where ten men stand accused of orchestrating the 2016 robbery of reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who was held at gunpoint and tied up in her luxury Paris apartment.
The heist, which involved the theft of jewellery worth an estimated $10 million (£7.5 million), shocked the world and marked the beginning of Kardashian’s social media hiatus.
The accused men, dubbed the “grandpa robbers” by French media, are predominantly in their 60s and 70s.
They face charges ranging from participating in the heist to being accessories.
Yunice Abbas, one of the main suspects, has confessed, as has 68-year-old Aomar Ait Khedache, while the others have denied their involvement.
Abbas, a career criminal with a history of petty offences and bank heists, later revealed in a memoir that the Kardashian robbery was meant to be his final job before retirement.
However, the crime was plagued with blunders, from poor planning to a series of mistakes that eventually led to their arrests in early 2017.
The events unfolded on the night of October 2, 2016, when Abbas and his accomplices, disguised as police officers, entered Kardashian’s apartment in Paris.
They threatened and bound the night receptionist, Abderrahmane Ouatiki, before making their way to Kardashian’s room.
The star, who had been attending Paris Fashion Week, was left in a state of terror as she was robbed of her valuables, including a $4 million engagement ring from her then-husband Kanye West.
“I knew someone was there to get me,” Kardashian later recalled in an interview.
As the thieves demanded her jewellery, Kardashian, in her robe, feared for her life but was instead bound with zip ties and left in the bathroom.
The robbers fled on bikes, leaving Kardashian to free herself and call for help.
The heist, which saw the thieves make off with diamonds, rings, and €1,000 in cash, was initially seen as an almost flawless crime.
However, things began to unravel when Abbas and his co-conspirators made a series of errors.
Abbas fell off his bike while escaping, dropping a bag filled with jewels, which was later discovered by a passerby.
In the days that followed, DNA evidence found at the scene matched Abbas and Khedache, eventually leading to their arrest.
The trial will delve into various aspects of the crime, including how the thieves knew Kardashian would be alone in her room and without her security detail.
Investigators suspect that Gary Madar, a man with connections to the Kardashian family, may have provided crucial information about her whereabouts, although he vehemently denies any involvement.
As the trial progresses, questions remain about the fate of the stolen jewellery, including the elusive engagement ring, which the thieves were too afraid to sell due to its high traceability.
Some of the stolen items were reportedly melted down or sold on the black market, but the engagement ring has never been found.
