Trial begins over 2016 Paris jewel heist in which Kim Kardashian was tied up, robbed

The Associated Press

· Posted: Apr 28, 2025 10:45 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

A proceedings has started successful Paris implicit the 2016 heist successful which equipped robbers tied up Kim Kardashian successful her chamber and stole millions of dollars' worthy of jewelry during Fashion Week.

Ten people — 9 men and a pistillate — are connected proceedings connected charges of robbery and kidnapping of the media property and the concierge of the residence wherever she was staying connected the nighttime of Oct. 2, 2016. 

Two of them person acknowledged their information and the others denied it.

In interviews and connected her family's world TV show, Kardashian has described being terrified, reasoning she was going to beryllium raped and killed erstwhile criminals broke into her chamber and pointed a weapon astatine her.   

Her lawyers said she volition attest successful idiosyncratic astatine the proceedings that is scheduled to tally done May 23.

"Ms. Kardashian is reserving her grounds for the tribunal and assemblage and does not privation to elaborate further astatine this time," they said. "She has large respect and admiration for the French justness strategy and has been treated with large respect by the French authorities. She wishes the proceedings to proceed successful an orderly fashion, successful accordance with French instrumentality and with respect for each parties to the case."

In a 2020 quality connected David Letterman's Netflix show, Kardashian tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the clip I'm going to get raped. I'm like, 'What is happening? Are we gonna die? Just archer them I person children. I person babies, I person a husband, I person a family.'"

Twelve radical were primitively expected successful the defendants' box. One has died and different is earnestly sick and can't beryllium tried. According to the investigation, 5 of the 10 defendants were contiguous astatine the country of the robbery.   

Media calls them 'The Granddad Robbers'  

The French media has dubbed them "The Granddad Robbers," due to the fact that the main defendants are older and person been slope robbers with agelong transgression records.

Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bath and placed successful the bathtub. Her attackers fled connected bicycles oregon connected ft and she freed herself by removing the tape.

She rushed to her stylist's country and called her sister Kourtney to archer her astir the theft. Shortly afterward, Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured. She filed a complaint, adding that she wanted to permission France arsenic soon arsenic imaginable to beryllium reunited with her children.   

According to her grounds and that of the concierge, astatine slightest 1 fishy had a handgun with which helium threatened the victims.

Jewelry worthy millions of dollars   

The gangsters stole galore pieces of jewelry, including a ringing estimated to beryllium worthy much than $6 cardinal US. Only 1 portion of jewelry — a diamond transverse connected platinum that was mislaid during the suspects' flight — has been recovered.   

Two of the accused person partially confessed to the crime, arsenic their DNA was recovered astatine the scene.

The alleged ringleader, 68-year-old Aomar Ait Khedache, is 1 of 2 suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment. Nicknamed "Old Omar," his familial illustration was recovered connected the portion utilized to gag Kardashian.

He near the edifice connected a bicycle, arsenic did 2 others, past met his son, who was waiting for him successful a parked car astatine a adjacent bid station.

Another said helium tied up the concierge with cables but did not spell up to Kardashian's apartment. Yunice Abbas, 71, said helium acted arsenic a lookout successful the crushed level reception area, making definite the flight way was clear. He said helium was unarmed and did not personally endanger Kardashian, but admitted helium shared work for the crime.

Abbas was arrested successful January 2017 and spent 21 months successful situation earlier being released nether judicial supervision. In 2021, helium co-authored a French-language publication titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian.

Didier Dubreucq, 69, known arsenic "Blue Eyes," is the 2nd alleged robber suspected of entering the flat. He denies immoderate involvement, though helium was filmed by CCTV cameras and galore telephone contacts with the different co-defendants amusement his involvement, according to the investigation.   

The different defendants are suspected of providing accusation astir Kardashian's beingness successful the apartment. Others are accused of playing a relation successful the resale of the jewelry successful Antwerp, Belgium.