Nearly nine years after Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris, the suspects accused of stealing $9 million worth of her jewelry are finally heading to trial. The highly anticipated proceedings begin Monday, with Kardashian scheduled to testify on May 13.
Ten people — dubbed the “grandpa robbers” by French media because of their ages — face charges related to the 2016 break-in at Kardashian’s luxury suite at the Hôtel de Pourtalès, a discreet Paris building known for hosting A-list celebrities. The suspects, allegedly disguised in police uniforms and ski masks, tied Kardashian up in her bedroom and made off with her jewelry.
Charges include armed robbery, kidnapping, and various other criminal counts. The trial is expected to last about a month.
Kardashian’s attorney, Michael Rhodes, said she has “tremendous appreciation and admiration for the French judicial system” and praised the authorities for treating her with “great respect.” Kardashian is keeping details of her testimony private until she speaks before the court and jury.
The reality star has publicly recounted the harrowing night before — most notably during a 2017 episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians and an interview with David Letterman in 2021. Kardashian recalled seeing masked men outside her bedroom door, desperately trying to call for help, and being thrown onto her bed, fearing she would be raped or killed.
French authorities moved quickly after the robbery, arresting most of the defendants within three months by analyzing security footage and DNA evidence. Yet the case has been plagued by delays, complicated by the advancing age and declining health of several suspects. One man has died, and another is too ill to stand trial.
Among the defendants are:
Aomar Ait Khedache (“Old Omar”), 69, the alleged mastermind
His son, Harminy, 37, accused of being the getaway driver
Didier “Blue Eyes” Dubreucq, 69
Gary Madar, 35, Kardashian’s driver’s brother, accused of leaking her whereabouts
Christiane Glotin, 78, the only woman charged, allegedly involved in planning
One defendant, Yunice Abbas, now 72, has already admitted involvement. In his 2021 book I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian, Abbas detailed how he joined a team recruited to rob an unnamed “wife of an American rapper” — only realizing later it was Kardashian. He described how he and others, disguised as police, easily gained access to the building and “gently restrained” the concierge to find Kardashian’s suite.
While Abbas claimed the robbery was carried out “without violence,” Kardashian remembers the terror vividly, telling Letterman that her attackers grabbed her while she was wearing only a robe. “I was like, ‘OK, this is the time I’m going to get raped. Just deal, it’s going to happen. Just prepare yourself,'” she said.
Since the robbery, Kardashian has continued to build her brand, expanding her influence to 357 million Instagram followers and growing her shapewear company, Skims, into a $4 billion business. She has also pursued a law degree and become an advocate for criminal justice reform.
Though Kardashian has since returned to Paris, the trauma of that night lingers. Speaking to Ellen DeGeneres in 2017, she revealed the robbers had been tracking her for years. “My whole life has changed in terms of how I travel,” she said, admitting she now hires full-time security when on the road.
The upcoming trial will be conducted under French legal rules: no cameras, no formal pleas, and proceedings determined by both judges and a jury, given the maximum potential sentences of over 20 years.
As the courtroom drama unfolds, Kardashian’s testimony is expected to be a pivotal — and emotional — moment.