English
compiled by Elmili TK
PARIS, April 24 — Nearly eight years after reality star Kim Kardashian was held at gunpoint in a luxurious Paris apartment, ten suspects — including several elderly men nicknamed the “grandpa robbers” — are set to face trial in one of the most high-profile celebrity robbery cases in recent memory.
Kardashian, who was targeted during Paris Fashion Week in 2016, is expected to travel to France to provide testimony, according to her legal team. The trial, scheduled to begin next week, will run for close to a month and could see multiple suspects facing serious charges including armed robbery, kidnapping, and possession of illegal weapons.
The 2016 Heist That Shocked the World
The robbery occurred in the early hours of October 3, 2016, when several masked men dressed as police officers gained entry to Kardashian’s private residence near the Madeleine Church — a secluded luxury apartment complex often favored by celebrities for its discretion and multiple secret entrances.
After threatening the concierge with a weapon, the attackers forced him to take them to Kardashian’s suite. There, they restrained the TV star and made off with a haul valued at approximately $9 million, including a $4 million engagement ring from her then-husband, rapper Kanye West (now Ye).
The traumatic incident left Kardashian shaken but physically unharmed. In a later interview with David Letterman, she recalled the fear and confusion as the robbers repeatedly demanded, “The ring! The ring!” while she pleaded for her life, reminding them she was a mother of young children.
Elderly Suspects, Modern Forensics
Among the ten defendants is 71-year-old Yunice Abbas, who has admitted to his involvement but denies being the operation’s mastermind. In an interview with French TV, Abbas explained that he participated in the robbery because of financial struggles, claiming he didn’t know the target was a high-profile celebrity.
Abbas, who has spent over two decades behind bars during his lifetime, said he believed this “big job” would be his final one. The gang escaped on bicycles, but Abbas infamously fell off his and dropped some of the stolen jewels on the street.
Forensic evidence, including DNA on the zip ties used to restrain Kardashian, led to the arrest of the suspects just months after the incident. Five of the ten accused are facing charges of armed robbery and kidnapping, while the others are charged with complicity and illegal weapons possession.
Kim’s Legal Team: “She Will Speak in Court”
While Kardashian has declined public comment in the lead-up to the trial, her legal team emphasized that she intends to cooperate fully with French authorities. “At this time, Ms. Kardashian is preserving her testimony for the court and jury,” they said in a statement. “She wishes for the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case.”
As proceedings begin, global attention is once again focused on the chilling events of that night in 2016 — a moment that not only reshaped celebrity security protocols but also highlighted the audacity of a heist carried out by a crew of elderly criminals in the heart of Paris.
