A French court is expected to deliver its verdict today in the high-profile trial of 10 individuals accused of robbing American reality TV star Kim Kardashian of approximately $10 million in jewelry during a 2016 armed attack in Paris.
The group, consisting of nine men and one woman—many of whom are in their 60s and 70s—has been on trial since April.
Prosecutors have requested 10-year prison sentences for the four men believed to have carried out the robbery, including alleged ringleader Aomar Ait Khedache.
Kardashian was held at gunpoint and tied up in her luxury Paris hotel on the night of October 2–3, 2016. Most of the stolen jewelry, including a $3.9 million diamond ring from then-husband Kanye West, was never recovered.
It was the most significant robbery of a private individual in France in the past two decades.
Nicknamed the “Grandpa robbers” by French media, the defendants have colorful aliases like “Old Omar” and “Blue Eyes,” reminiscent of vintage French gangster films.
Kardashian, now 44, testified last week, recounting the fear and trauma she experienced. “I thought I was going to die,” she told the court.
Khedache, 69, who is deaf and nearly mute, admitted to tying up Kardashian but denied being the mastermind.
After hearing his apology letter, Kardashian told him, “I forgive you for what has taken place, but it does not change the emotion, the trauma, and the way my life changed. I believe in second chances.”
Another defendant, Yunice Abbas, has written a book about the incident titled I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian, and expressed regret during the trial, calling it “one job too many.”
Lawyers for the aging defendants have appealed for leniency, arguing that long prison terms would amount to life sentences.
Kardashian, who recently announced she completed law school, said the robbery transformed her perspective on safety, adding that she now employs up to six security guards at home.
The trial has garnered intense media interest, drawing large crowds to the courthouse in central Paris. A verdict is anticipated by evening.
AFP
