Nearly nine years after Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris, her attackers went on trial this month in France’s capital.
During Paris Fashion Week in 2016, Kardashian was held up in her hotel room by a group of men allegedly dressed like policemen and wearing masks. Kardashian claimed the suspects demanded her diamond ring before tying her up.
“I was like, ‘OK, this is the time I’m gonna get raped. Like, deal, this is gonna happen, just prepare yourself,’” Kardashian recalled during a 2020 interview with David Letterman. “So, I did and then — I don’t know why I’m crying, I’ve talked about this before — and then he tied me up with handcuffs and zip-ties and then duct tape and duct-taped my mouth and my eyes.”
Multiple suspects were arrested in January 2017, with 10 individuals later charged in connection with the robbery. The trial began in Paris on Monday, April 28, and ran through Thursday, May 22, resulting in a guilty verdict for eight out of the 10 suspects.
Prior to taking the stand in May, Kardashian felt “empowered” to serve as a witness, according to a source. “She went through a horrible ordeal, and this is giving her the power to fight back,” the insider exclusively told Us Weekly in March.
Scroll down to see the biggest moments from Kardashian’s trial:
May 23
On Friday, May 23, eight suspects on trial for the Kardashian Paris robbery were found guilty. Two other suspects were acquitted, according to The Associated Press.
The ringleader, Aomar Ait Kedache, received an eight-year prison sentence with five years suspended. Three other members of his crew were sentenced to seven years with five years suspended. AP noted that with time served in pretrial detention, none of the guilty individuals will be sent to prison. (The judge noted the assailants’ ages, majority of which are in their 60s and 70s, factored into a leaner sentence.)
Kardashian wasn’t present for the verdict but issued a statement after the fact. “I am deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case,” she said via AP. “The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family.”
The reality star added, “While I’ll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice, and promoting a fair legal system.”
May 13
Kardashian took the stand in a Paris courtroom to testify about her alleged experience with the men on trial. The reality star recalled hearing “stomping” outside of her hotel room when one of the men dressed as police officers entered the room alongside the establishment’s concierge, who had been handcuffed.
“I, obviously, was very confused when they walked in,” Kardashian recalled, noting that she kept asking the concierge what was happening. “I understand how shocked he was and he was just a victim just like me.”
Kardashian claimed one of the men put tape around her hands and mouth while another held a gun toward her.
“He grabs my legs and pulls me. I’m naked and my everything is exposed,” she stated. “I was sure that I was going to be raped.”
May 5
Kardashian’s French lawyers Leonor Hennerick and Jonathan Mattout confirmed that the reality star is prepared to testify later this month. “She is committed to attending in person the trial and to confronting those who attacked her. She will do so with dignity and courage,” the attorneys told AFP.
Kardashian’s representatives didn’t release any further details about her plan for taking the stand, adding, “We want to give everyone the opportunity to hear her testimony in her own words so we won’t be commenting on the substance of what she will say.”
April 29
Yunice Abbas was the first suspect to take the stand after previously confessing to his role in the heist. The 71-year-old is a career criminal who wrote a memoir about the incident titled I Held Up Kim Kardashian.
When the president of the court, David De Pas, asked whether he had any sympathy toward his victims, Abbas told the court that he didn’t prior to the Kardashian heist. “But this time, I do regret what I did,” he said, according to the BBC. “It opened my eyes.”
Abbas explained that he saw endless coverage of Kardashian and the burglary while he was in jail — and a lightbulb went off. “We just grabbed the lady’s handbag, but I have discovered there’s trauma behind it,” he said.
The court also heard about suspect Gary Madar, who is accused of feeding information to the gang in Paris. He has denied the allegations. (Madar’s brother’s company provided transportation to the Kardashian family for years, and he worked as a customer service agent at the airport during the time of the heist.)
Suspect Marc Boyer was also questioned on April 29. According to the BBC, he expressed regret that his son, Marc-Alexandre Boyer, who is also a defendant, was surrounded by “thieves” and “crooks” as a child, leading to poor life choices. Marc, 78, is accused of supplying weapons used to threaten the Kardashians star.
April 28
As the trial began in Paris, 10 suspects appeared in court: nine men and one woman. There were originally 12 suspects, but one died in March. The other, an 81-year-old, was excused due to advanced dementia.
