The robbery of Kim Kardashian in Paris took only a few minutes, but its effects lasted for almost ten years.
On Friday, a court in Paris will announce the decision in one of the most daring celebrity thefts in recent French history. On that night, masked men entered Kardashian’s expensive apartment, tied her up at gunpoint, and left with \$6 million worth of jewelry.
Nine men and one woman are accused of committing or helping with the crime. It happened during Paris Fashion Week in 2016, when the robbers, dressed like police officers, forced their way into the fancy Hôtel de Pourtalès. They tied Kardashian with zip ties and escaped with her jewels. This theft made celebrities rethink how they live and how they protect themselves.
After hearing the final statements in court, the defendants were sent away on Friday morning. The verdict is expected later the same day.
One of the accused is 69-year-old Aomar Aït Khedache, who is said to be the leader. He came to court walking with a stick, hiding his face from cameras. Prosecutors want him to be sentenced to 10 years in prison. His DNA was found on the zip ties used to bind Kardashian, which was a major clue in the case.
Wiretap recordings caught him giving orders, recruiting helpers, and planning to sell the stolen diamonds in Belgium. A diamond-covered cross was dropped during the robbery and was the only jewelry piece recovered.
Khedache claims he was only a low-level participant. He blamed a mysterious “X” or “Ben,” a person prosecutors say did not exist.
His lawyer asked the court to show mercy. One emotional moment in the trial was Kardashian’s earlier meeting with Khedache in court. Even though she was not in court on Friday, her words and the memory of that meeting were still important.
“She looked at him when she came, she listened to the letter he had written to her, and then she forgave him,” lawyer Franck Berton told The Associated Press.
Kardashian, usually protected by security and media attention, made eye contact with Khedache as the letter was read.
“I do appreciate the letter, I forgive you,” she said. “But it doesn’t change the feelings and the trauma and the fact that my life was forever changed.” What once seemed like a tabloid story became very personal.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner leave the justice palace after testifyingKhedache asked for “a thousand pardons” through a written note in court on Friday. Other defendants also used their last words to say they were sorry.
The accused were called “les papys braqueurs” in France, which means “the grandpa robbers.” Some came to court wearing orthopedic shoes, and one used a cane. Some watched the trial on screens because they had trouble hearing or speaking. But prosecutors warned people not to be fooled by their old age or weak looks.
The trial is being held by three judges and six jurors, who must vote by majority to make a decision.
The defendants face charges like armed robbery, kidnapping, and working with a gang. If found guilty, some could get life sentences.
Before the robbery, Paris had been a safe and special place for Kardashian. Her testimony earlier this month was very emotional. In a full courtroom, she described how she was thrown onto a bed, tied up, and had a gun held to her on the night of October 2, 2016.
“I absolutely did think I was going to die,” she said. “I have babies. I have to make it home. They can take everything. I just have to make it home.”
She was taken to a marble bathroom and told to stay quiet. When the robbers left, she managed to free herself by scraping the tape from her wrists against the sink. Then she hid with her friend, shaking and barefoot.
She said Paris had once been a place where she felt free — a city she could walk through at 3 a.m., looking in shop windows and stopping for hot chocolate. But that feeling disappeared after the robbery.
The crime affected many people beyond Paris. It changed how celebrities act in the age of Instagram. For years, Kardashian had shared her life openly: tagging locations, showing off diamonds, and living publicly by choice. But that night changed everything. “People were watching … They knew where I was,” she said.
After the robbery, she stopped sharing her location in real time. She removed pictures of expensive gifts from social media and stayed away from Paris for years. Other celebrities followed her example. Privacy became very valuable.
Defense lawyers asked the court to be kind because of the defendants’ age and health. But prosecutors said the gang’s experience in crime was more important than their physical condition.
The case took many years to go to trial, even by French legal standards, which are known for being slow.
Kardashian, who said the experience “really changed everything,” now waits for the court’s decision and possibly some final peace.
