Kim Kardashian
By Lerato Mpembe
A-list celebrity Kim Kardashian is set to testify in a Paris court on Tuesday, nearly a decade after masked men robbed her at gunpoint, stealing millions of dollars’ worth of jewellery during the French capital’s fashion week in 2016.
The trial, which began in late April, involves ten suspects accused of taking jewels valued at around $10 million from the reality TV star and global influencer. Kardashian’s court appearance has sparked massive media interest, with nearly 500 reporters accredited to cover the event. The courthouse on Paris’s historic Ile de la Cité is expected to be swarmed by fans eager to catch a glimpse of the star, who is prepared to “confront” her attackers, according to her legal team.
A High-Profile Heist
The robbery occurred on the night of October 2-3, 2016, while Kardashian, then 35, was staying at a discreet, upscale hotel in central Paris. Masked men stormed her room, held a gun to her head, tied her up, and taped her mouth shut. They fled with a haul of jewellery, including a diamond ring worth €3.5 million ($3.9 million) gifted to her by her then-husband, Kanye West. The theft remains the most valuable targeting an individual in France in two decades, earning it the nickname “heist of the century” in the French press.
The Trial and the Suspects
The ten suspects, mostly men in their 60s and 70s with prior criminal records, have been dubbed the “Grandpa Robbers” due to their age and old-school criminal flair. Among them is 68-year-old Aomar Ait Khedache, known as “Old Omar,” who admitted to tying up Kardashian but denies orchestrating the crime.
Another, 71-year-old Yunice Abbas, even wrote a book titled I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian, detailing his clumsy escape on a bicycle when his loot bag got caught in the wheel. Despite their experience, the robbers left DNA evidence that helped investigators track them down.
The court also heard that Gary Madar, the brother of Kardashian’s Paris driver, allegedly tipped off the suspects about her location. His lawyer dismissed this, pointing out that her 350 million online followers already knew she was in the city. The trial, now in its final stages, is set to conclude on May 23.
Kardashian’s Testimony: A Pivotal Moment
Kardashian is scheduled to take the stand at 2:00 pm (1200 GMT) and plans to speak to the press afterward. Her French lawyers, Leonor Hennerick and Jonathan Mattout, said she is “committed to attending in person” and will face her attackers “with dignity and courage.” Having followed the trial closely, her testimony is expected to be a defining moment, though its exact content remains under wraps. Her legal team praised the French authorities for their respectful handling of the case, noting her gratitude.
The Night That Changed Everything
The robbery might never have happened if Kardashian had joined her sister Kourtney for a night out clubbing, a plan she considered before opting to stay in. Her driver, Michael Madar, who had been on duty for 21 hours, arranged a replacement for the nightclub trip. When Kardashian stopped answering calls, her bodyguard Pascal D. and replacement driver Mohammed Q. raced back to the hotel. Pascal found her “in a terrible state, crying hysterically,” recalling her words: “I’ve been robbed.”
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