Paris court to announce verdict in infamous 2016 celebrity robbery case
Nearly a decade after reality star Kim Kardashian was bound and held at gunpoint in her luxury Paris residence, a French court is set to deliver the verdict in one of the most audacious celebrity heists in recent memory.
The robbery, which took place during the 2016 Paris Fashion Week, shocked the world and sent ripples through both the fashion industry and the world of social media. Ten individuals — nine men and one woman — now stand accused of playing roles in the crime, which saw masked intruders disguised as police officers steal jewellery worth an estimated $6 million (£4.4 million) from the American celebrity.
The Paris criminal court has heard dramatic testimony over the past several weeks, culminating in a gripping account from Kardashian herself, who flew in to testify earlier this month. “I absolutely did think I was going to die,” she told the court, recounting the harrowing night she was zip-tied, held at gunpoint, and locked in a marble bathroom. “I have babies. I have to make it home. They can take everything. I just have to make it home.”
Her words brought the courtroom to a hush, as she recalled the trauma of scraping the tape from her wrists on the bathroom sink, hiding barefoot with a friend, and the eerie silence that followed the gang’s departure.
At the centre of the case is 70-year-old Aomar Ait Khedache, an established figure in the Parisian underworld. Dubbed the “ringleader” by prosecutors, Khedache’s DNA was found on the zip-ties used in the attack. He was also allegedly caught on wiretap orchestrating the operation, directing co-conspirators, and organising the sale of the stolen diamonds — most of which were never recovered.
Prosecutors have demanded a 10-year sentence for Khedache, while calling for varying sentences for the other defendants. The accused, some of whom arrived in court using walking sticks and wearing orthopaedic shoes, have become known in the French media as “les papys braqueurs” — the grandpa robbers. One defendant was so hard of hearing he had to read proceedings from a screen.
Despite their frail appearance, prosecutors warned the court not to be misled by their age. “These men are experienced, not innocent,” the prosecution said. “This was not a crime of desperation. It was a calculated, highly organised operation.”
Defence lawyers, however, have urged the court for leniency, citing their clients’ poor health and advanced age. Khedache, for his part, has distanced himself from the role of mastermind, insisting he was only a subordinate, and blaming a mysterious figure he referred to as “X” or “Ben” — an individual prosecutors say never existed.
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The panel of three judges and six jurors will soon decide the fate of the accused. A majority vote is required to reach a verdict on the charges, which include armed robbery, kidnapping, and criminal association. If convicted, some of the defendants could face life imprisonment.
Beyond the courtroom, the case has had a lasting cultural impact. Kardashian, who once made a career out of constant, real-time social media updates and displays of wealth, dramatically shifted her public presence after the robbery. She ceased sharing her location live, toned down displays of luxury, and avoided Paris for years. The heist marked a turning point, not just in her life, but in how celebrities manage privacy and personal security in the digital age.
The verdict, expected Friday, will bring legal closure to a case that has hovered over Paris — and pop culture — for the better part of a decade. Whether justice will feel sufficient remains to be seen.
