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| Credit: France24 |
A French court is poised to deliver its verdict today in the high-profile trial of 10 individuals accused of orchestrating the violent 2016 robbery of American reality TV star Kim Kardashian in Paris. The defendants nine men and one woman, many of them elderly and dubbed the “Grandpa Robbers” by French media have been on trial since April for their roles in the infamous heist, which saw Kardashian robbed at gunpoint of nearly $10 million worth of jewelry.
Details of the 2016 Heist
On the night of October 2-3, 2016, Kim Kardashian, then 35, was staying at a luxury hotel in central Paris when masked intruders stormed her private apartment. She was tied up, gagged, and held at gunpoint. Among the items stolen was a 3.5 million euro diamond ring, a gift from her then-husband Kanye West. The robbery was described as France’s largest theft against a private individual in two decades.
The Accused and Trial Highlights
- Four of the accused are alleged to have carried out the robbery.
- Prosecutors have requested 10-year prison sentences for these four, including the suspected ringleader, Aomar Ait Khedache, known as “Old Omar.”
- Khedache, now 69 and nearly deaf, admitted to tying Kardashian up but denied being the mastermind. His defense argued that a prison sentence at his age would be a life term.
- The accused, mostly in their 60s and 70s, are described as veterans of the French underworld, with colorful nicknames like “Blue Eyes” and “Old Omar.”
- Another defendant, Yunice Abbas, who wrote a book about the heist, expressed deep regret, calling it “one job too many” and citing his battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Kim Kardashian’s Testimony
Kardashian testified earlier this month, describing the ordeal in vivid detail:
“I thought I was going to die,” she told the court, recounting the terror she felt during the robbery.
Despite the trauma, Kardashian showed a gesture of forgiveness to Khedache after he wrote her a letter of apology:
“I forgive you for what has taken place,” she said. “But it does not change the emotion, the feelings, the trauma, and the way my life changed.”
The court is expected to allow final statements from the accused this morning, with a verdict anticipated later in the evening. Defense attorneys have pleaded for leniency, citing the accused’s age, remorse, and poor health.
This trial has attracted significant global media attention, with crowds gathering outside the Paris court for updates. The verdict will mark a symbolic closure for Kardashian, who just this week announced her completion of law school after six years—a personal milestone as the case that changed her life nears its conclusion.
