PARIS, April 21 — A group of suspects nicknamed the “grandpa robbers” goes on trial at the end of April, charged with stealing jewellery worth millions from US reality TV star Kim Kardashian in Paris in 2016.
In what the French press has called “the heist of the century”, masked men walked away from the luxury Parisian hotel where Kardashian was staying in October 2016 with millions of dollars worth of jewels, including a diamond ring gifted by her then-husband, rapper Kanye West.
Kardashian will testify in person at the trial, which opens on April 28, her US lawyer Michael Rhodes said last week.
Ten people will be in the dock and the verdict is expected on May 23, with Kardashian set to appear on May 13, according to a provisional schedule.
In what has been called the biggest French hold-up targeting an individual in 20 years, Kardashian was robbed of jewellery estimated at €10 million (RM50.5 at current rates) while she was staying at a luxury residence during Paris fashion week.
Among the suspects arrested four months later in Paris and in the south of France is Aomar Ait Khedache, known as “Old Omar”, 68, who has admitted to his participation in the heist, but denies the prosecution’s accusation that he was also the ringleader.
Two investigating magistrates ordered the suspects to stand trial by jury — which in France is reserved for the most serious crimes — on charges including armed robbery, kidnapping and membership of a criminal gang.
On the night of October 2 to 3, 2016, several men, some impersonating police officers, entered the hotel where Kardashian, who was then 35, was staying during Fashion Week.
The star had attended a Givenchy show before returning to the hotel around midnight without her bodyguard who was with her sister Kourtney, also a media personality and socialite, who had gone clubbing.
An ‘easy’ heist
Two of the intruders put guns to her head and one, Kardashian later told detectives, addressed her “with a very strong French accent” in English, telling her to hand over her diamond engagement ring.
That ring from West, which the influencer had shown off extensively on social media, was estimated to be worth four million dollars.
The intruders then tied her up, gagged her and carried her into the bathroom.
Three men meanwhile kept watch at the reception, with one waiting at the wheel of a getaway car.
The entire robbery lasted around 10 minutes.
Kardashian’s frequent posts about her wealth, personal life and whereabouts may have facilitated the perpetrators’ actions.
Ait Khedache later told investigators that the job had been “easy”, and nothing like a regular armed robbery.
In addition to the ring, which featured a near-flawless 18.88-carat diamond, the group made off with several more pieces of gold and diamond jewellery, including a gold Rolex watch.
One of the alleged robbers, Yunice Abbas, now 71, fleeing the scene on a bicycle, dropped a diamond-encrusted cross worth €30,000, which was found by a passer-by a few hours later.
The suspected thieves lost a few more items while on the run, but the bulk of the bounty has never been found and is believed to have been sold in Belgium.
Abbas later wrote a book, called “I kidnapped Kim Kardashian”, despite also claiming that he was just one of the lookouts without laying eyes on the star.
Another suspect, 69-year-old Didier Dubreucq, also came to the scene by bike and is accused of having been in Kardashian’s room, which he denies.
The ageing suspects had, according to prosecutors, hoped to make a criminal comeback with the heist.
The suspects were identified mostly thanks to their DNA.
Of the 12 people originally charged over the robbery, only 10 will be present at the trial after one suspect died and another, 80-year-old Pierre Bouianere, was declared unable to participate in proceedings for health reasons.
He will be tried separately. — AFP
