Eight individuals have been convicted of crimes related to the gunpoint robbery of Kim Kardashian at a hotel in Paris.
The 2016 heist, carried out by a group nicknamed the “grandpa robbers” due to their advanced ages, targeted the celebrity, TV personality, and businesswoman.
A jury of six, with three judges presiding, delivered the verdict on Friday after a trial lasting four weeks at Paris’s Palais de Justice.
The court found the ringleader and his seven accomplices guilty of the raid on Kim Kardashian’s luxury hotel apartment. Their sentences ranged from prison terms to a fine, but given the time already served in pretrial detention, none of the convicted individuals will be imprisoned and all were released.
On the night of October 3, 2016, during Paris Fashion Week, the robbers, disguised as police officers, stormed Kardashian’s apartment, tying her up and stealing jewelry worth an estimated $6 million (£4.4m), including a ring that her then-husband Kanye West had given her.
‘You caused harm’
The presiding judge, David De Pas, mentioned that the ages of the defendants – with the oldest being 79 and others in their 60s and 70s – influenced the court’s decision not to impose harsher sentences, as well as considering the nine years that had passed since the robbery and the trial.
He also stated that the TV star had been traumatized by the incident and that “you caused harm, you caused fear.”
Some defendants arrived at court using orthopaedic shoes and one used a cane. But as prosecutors warned, this should not deceive anyone regarding their capability.
Read more: Everything you need to know about the Paris trial
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Kim Kardashian’s testimony: What happened?
Ringleader Aomar Ait Khedache, 69, who arrived at court walking with a stick, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, with five of those suspended.
His DNA, which was found on the bands used to bind Kardashian, was a key breakthrough that helped crack the case. Wiretaps captured him giving orders, recruiting accomplices, and arranging to sell the diamonds in Belgium.
Three others accused of the most serious charges received seven years imprisonment, five of which were suspended.
Aomar Ait Khedache leaves court after the verdict. Pic: AP
‘Most terrifying experience of my life’
Following the ruling, 44-year-old Kardashian, who was absent for the verdict, issued a statement, expressing her gratitude to the French authorities for seeking justice in the case.
“The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family.
“While I’ll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice and promoting a fair legal system.”
The court in the French capital also found a ninth person guilty of possessing weapons, while a tenth person was acquitted.
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Kardashian departing Paris court on 13 May
Kardashian ‘thought she would be raped and killed’
During the robbery, Kardashian, who had previously testified that she believed she would be raped and killed, was bound with zip-ties and left in the bathtub.
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She described the robbery as “terrifying” and said while she felt forgiveness, it in no way altered “the emotion and the feelings and the trauma,” adding “my life is forever changed”.
Two members of the group – Khedache, known as “Old Omar”, and Yunice Abbas – who authored a book titled I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian, confessed to their roles in the robbery, while the remaining eight denied the allegations.
Prosecutors had sought sentences of up to 10 years.
Kardashian recently completed her six-year legal apprenticeship in California.
Most of the jewelry was never recovered.
A diamond-encrusted cross, dropped during their escape, was the only piece ever recovered.
