A French court is set to deliver its verdict today in the high-profile trial of 10 individuals accused of orchestrating a violent robbery against American reality TV star Kim Kardashian in Paris nearly nine years ago.
The defendants — nine men and one woman — have been standing trial since April over the infamous 2016 heist in which Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint of nearly $10 million worth of jewelry while staying at a luxury hotel in central Paris.
Recall that on the night of October 2-3, 2016, the then-35-year-old star was tied up, gagged, and held at gunpoint by masked intruders who stormed her private apartment.
Included among the stolen items was a diamond ring worth 3.5 million euros, which her then-husband, rapper Kanye West, had given her. It was characterized as the largest theft from a private individual in France over the past twenty years.
Four of the defendants are said to have perpetrated the robbery, and prosecutors are seeking 10-year prison sentences for them, including for the alleged mastermind, Aomar Ait Khedache, who is also referred to as “Old Omar.”
Khedache, who is now 69 and almost completely deaf, acknowledged that he tied Kardashian up but denied being the one in charge of the operation. His defense has contended that a prison sentence at his age would be equivalent to a life term.
The accused, mostly aged in their 60s and 70s, have been dubbed the “Grandpa Robbers” by the French media, due to their advanced ages and old-school criminal nicknames like “Blue Eyes” and “Old Omar.”
Many of them are said to be veterans of France’s underworld, reminiscent of characters from classic film noir.
Kardashian, who testified before the court earlier this month wearing a jeweled necklace, described the harrowing ordeal in vivid detail.
“I thought I was going to die,” she said, recounting the fear she felt when the robbers stormed in with weapons drawn.
Despite the trauma, Kardashian showed a gesture of forgiveness toward Khedache after hearing a letter of apology he wrote.
She addressed the court, saying, “I forgive you for what has taken place.” “However, it does not alter the feelings, emotions, trauma, and changes to my life.”
Yunice Abbas, another defendant and the author of “I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian,” conveyed profound remorse for his participation.
Abbas, who is now fighting Parkinson’s disease, informed the court that taking part in the robbery was “one job too many” for him and asserted that it made him aware of the repercussions of his criminal lifestyle.
Lawyers representing the accused have requested mercy, pointing to their clients’ age, feelings of regret, and deteriorating health.
This morning, the court is likely to grant the defendants a last chance to speak, and a verdict is expected later in the evening.
The trial has attracted considerable international media focus, with throngs of people routinely assembling outside the Paris court located in the historic Ile de la Cité, hoping for a sight of the celebrity or news on the proceedings.
After six years of study, Kardashian, who has since embarked on a legal career, announced on social media Thursday that she had completed law school — marking a symbolic closure as the protracted case approaches its end.
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