Three of the suspected robbers fled on bicycles and two on foot, carrying between them virtually $10 million value of jewellery, a $4 million ring amongst the items.
They had the profit of the darkness of nighttime Paris, however the road would earlier than sunup be buzzing with exercise. Within minutes of their departure, police would descend upon Rue Tronchet, the tackle of a luxurious lodging the place Kim Kardashian had retired earlier that night after a busy day of Fashion Week occasions and earlier than her life took a flip for the terrifying — sure and gagged at gunpoint — allegedly at the palms of a gaggle referred to in French information media by monikers like “The Grandpa Gang” and “Grandpa Robbers” (regardless of one girl being amongst the accused.)
Like most locations in central Paris, Rue Tronchet is full of historical past, even earlier than it was the website of a high-profile heist. It was as soon as depicted in a piece by French painter Antoine Blanchard and is one of the streets that surrounds the iconic Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, a Catholic church devoted by Louis XV simply earlier than the start of the French Revolution.
On the night time of the theft in October 2016, police say the criminals, posing as policemen, entered via two massive, unmarked crimson doorways on Rue Tronchet and held the concierge at gunpoint to achieve entry to the residence the place Kardashian was staying.
If a lot of Kardashian’s life to that time practically a decade in the past was the closest a former celeb assistant might get to a fairytale in the on-line age — a tv present empire, a secure of bustling companies and a well-known musician husband — that night time, she was trapped in a nightmare.
Details of the incident, at the time, had been prolific, examined and pieced collectively in intricate element by media shops round the world as one of the most seen celebrities of our time went uncharacteristically silent about the ordeal. Her household, some of whom had been additionally in Paris for Fashion Week when the theft occurred, had been additionally mum.
Time, of course, has induced reminiscence of the incident — each the public’s and seemingly Kardashian’s — to fade from prominence. It would possible keep blurred in popular culture previous if the group of alleged criminals accountable weren’t lastly set to stand trial for the crime in Paris this week.
Of the 12 people initially charged in the case, 10 are on trial, starting Monday. One of the suspects has since died and one other, Pierre Bouianere, 80, could have his personal trial. He has denied all of the fees and his case is anticipated to be dismissed for well being causes.
Eight of those on trial have denied the fees, which embody armed theft in an organized gang and felony conspiracy.
In an announcement to NCS, Kardashian’s private legal professional Michael Rhodes confirmed that she is anticipated to testify. “Ms. Kardashian is preserving her testimony for the Court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further on it at this stage. She has tremendous appreciation and admiration for the French judicial system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities.”
The case — lengthy delayed due to different high-profile trials, amongst different causes — is something however easy, with colourful characters and circumstances that appear out of a film script.
This, nevertheless — like Kardashian’s specialty — is actuality.
The robbers couldn’t have requested for a greater blueprint for their heist than Kardashian’s social media trail.
Investigators say one of the accused, Aomar Ait Khedache, who turns 69 this week, admitted to coming into Kardashian’s room to steal jewellery, together with her diamond ring.
“The evidence gathered during the investigation designates him as the organizer of these acts, even if he contests this,” investigators wrote in court docket paperwork.
During interviews with police, Ait Khedache stated that every thing was laid out completely — from her actions round city to the luxurious stock of jewels she carried together with her to Paris, in accordance to reporting from Le Monde.
“The case itself was given on the Internet, with everything. The jewelry presented on the Internet, specifying that she was not wearing fake jewelry. That there were no fakes, the times when she came to France … you just had to look on the Internet to know everything, absolutely everything,” he stated in a police interview, Le Monde studies.
Indeed, days earlier than the theft, Kardashian had posted a picture exhibiting her large engagement ring, given to her by her now-ex-husband Kanye West. The ring – like most of the jewellery that was stolen that night time – was by no means recovered by police, with Khedache telling authorities it was in somebody’s possession however by no means resold due to its dimension and distinct traits, studies Le Monde.
The picture, which boasts over 1.4 million “likes” right this moment, continues to be on the actuality star’s Instagram web page, regardless of its connection to this darkish chapter of her historical past.
The social media put up has now additionally been entered into proof and might be half of the trial.
Kardashian’s penchant for showcasing her wealth was criticized prior to the theft however grew to become a protection of types for each the accused thieves and a few of her critics who’ve all however excused the alleged criminals.
In 2017, Khedache’s lawyer at the time, Jean-Yves Liénard, informed Le Monde partially, “this case shows the state of decay in which we find ourselves, where a young woman who is nothing, neither an artist nor a writer, becomes a global phenomenon whose slightest mishap obsesses the international press.”
Even in the recent aftermath of the incident, late former Chanel inventive director Karl Lagerfeld was amongst those who joined the refrain of the important.
“You cannot display your wealth and then be surprised that some people want to share it with you,” he informed worldwide information reporters days after the theft.
Journalist Patricia Tourancheau supplied some context on the backlash.
“In France, it’s still very badly perceived when people flaunt their wealth so much, and what was heavily criticized, for example, is Kim Kardashian’s selfie (with the ring). So they knew she had her jewelry on her, but she’s showing off, and her way of exhibiting her wealth in France is quite insufferable,” she lately informed NCS’s Saskya Vandoorne.
Yunice Abbas, who authorities allege was one of the 5 individuals who entered the resort on the night time of the heist, has not minced phrases about his emotions about his involvement. He even wrote a ebook about the incident known as “J’ai séquestré Kim Kardashian,” which interprets to “I kidnapped Kim Kardashian.”
“Since she was throwing money away, I was there to collect it, and that was that,” Abbas, now in his early 70s, informed Vice in 2022. “Guilty? No, I don’t care. I don’t care.”
Abbas has downplayed the crime and has blamed Kardashian in interviews with a number of media for flaunting her jewellery.
He has promoted his ebook on French tv.
“I have neither contempt nor a desire for revenge,” he informed i24 information. “I am very happy for her. I ask her to forgive me. If she can’t, too bad, I will live with it.”
Police say he admitted participating in the armed theft, and to illegal confinement, however denies taking part in planning of the caper.
He was launched from pre-trial detention in 2022 for well being causes.
Time has additionally revealed a stunning public response to the criminals, Tourancheau defined.
“I think there’s a part of the public that actually feels some sympathy for them,” she stated. “They targeted a person, yes, but to steal valuables – money, jewelry – not to cause harm for harm’s sake.”
Kardashian’s first feedback about the theft wouldn’t be made public till a trailer for her reality show was launched in January the subsequent yr, months after the theft.
In the episode itself, which aired in March 2017, she spoke about the theft intimately, describing how she thought at the time that she was going to be raped and killed.
“Then (one of the armed men) duct tapes my face, my mouth, to get me to not yell or anything and then he grabs my legs and I wasn’t, I had no clothes on under (my robe) and he pulled me towards him at the front of the bed and I thought, ‘Okay, this is the moment. They are going to rape me.’” Kardashian tearfully recalled. “And I fully mentally prepped myself and then he didn’t, and he duct-taped my legs together.”
She added: “Then they had the gun up to me and I just knew that was the moment they are just totally going to shoot me in the head. I just prayed Kourtney (Kardashian, her elder sister) was going to have a normal life after she sees my dead body on the bed.”
Kardashian cooperated with the authorities on the scene. According to court docket paperwork translated from French, she had samples taken from her wrists, hair, and ankles.
DNA proof, in addition to CCTV footage, helped tie some of the accused to the crime, in accordance to the French charging paperwork.
In the aftermath of the theft, Kardashian has stated she modified her method to social media, talking a number of occasions about her new aversion to posting areas and different delicate data in real-time.
“I was just really scared of everything,” she informed David Letterman of her emotions following the crime, as she recounted how the gun-toting robbers compelled her to hand over her $4M engagement ring. “They kept on saying, ‘the ring, the ring,’” she stated.
“I can’t sleep at night unless there’s half a dozen security guards at my house, and that has just become my reality.”
She additionally stated the incident modified her priorities.
“I was definitely materialistic before,” she informed Ellen DeGeneres in 2017. “Not that there’s anything bad with having things and working to get those things – I’m really proud of everyone around me that’s successful…But I’m not here to show off the way I used to. It’s just not who I am anymore. I just don’t care about that stuff anymore. I really don’t.”
That assertion has adopted Kardashian in the time since.
In a Season 6 episode of her household’s Hulu actuality program, which aired in March 2025, Kardashian and her sister Khloé traveled to India to attend the lavish wedding ceremony of Anant Ambani, the son of Asia’s wealthiest man. Their journey full of elaborate costume adjustments for the multi-day celebration, which passed off in July 2024, culminated with one night look that had Kardashian carrying tens of millions of {dollars} value of jewels and making a video for social media about it in the automotive on the manner to the occasion.
The present made gentle of the hypocrisy, with Kardashian sharing {that a} member of the family had despatched her a meme that known as again to her statements on DeGeneres’ present and juxtaposed them with some of her current diamond-adorned social media posts.
“Lorraine Schwartz made this for the wedding tonight,” she stated at one level as she recorded in the backseat, operating her hand towards the heavy diamond nostril chain crafted by the famed jewellery designer she’d simply name-checked. “How insane.”
An apt phrase, maybe, for the complete story itself.