A decade after Kim Kardashian was tied up and robbed at gunpoint in Paris, ten defendants linked to the infamous ‘Grandpa Robbers’ gang are standing trial, with the celebrity expected to testify.
April 29, 2025: Nearly a decade after reality star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian was tied up and robbed at gunpoint in Paris, ten people connected to the so-called “Grandpa Robbers” gang went on trial Monday.
The defendants, many now in their 60s and 70s, face charges related to the October 2016 heist during Paris Fashion Week. Kardashian, then 35, was held at gunpoint in a luxury residence and robbed of jewelry worth more than $9 million, including a $4 million diamond engagement ring from Kanye West.
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The overnight attack stunned the world, raising concerns about tourist safety in Paris, still reeling from recent terror attacks. Five masked men, posing as police officers, forced a night watchman to lead them to Kardashian’s apartment, where they bound and gagged her before fleeing with valuables. While most of the stolen jewelry was never recovered, a diamond-encrusted cross was found in the street.
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DNA traces on duct tape and zip ties led authorities to the suspects after three months of surveillance. Nine men and one woman are now on trial, charged with armed robbery, kidnapping, and related offenses. One suspect has died, and another is too ill to stand trial.
Only two defendants, Aomar Aït Khedache (69) and Yunice Abbas (72), have admitted some involvement. Khedache, whose DNA was found at the scene, denies being the ringleader. Abbas has publicly acknowledged acting as a lookout and even authored a 2021 book titled I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian, claiming he knew little about her before the heist.
The trial, presided over by three judges and a six-member jury, is expected to run through May. Kardashian, now 44, is anticipated to testify in person.
Over 400 journalists have registered to cover the trial — far exceeding courtroom capacity — raising fears of a media circus. “There is great concern that this trial could turn into a show trial,” said Chloé Arnoux, lawyer for Khedache.
Kardashian has previously spoken about the harrowing experience, recounting on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman how she feared for her life during the robbery, thinking her sister Kourtney would find her dead upon returning.
The watchman on duty that night, Abderrahmane Ouatiki, was later diagnosed with PTSD. His lawyer described the attackers not as frail elderly men, but as “determined individuals who pointed a gun and forced him to his knees.”
The trial underscores not only the lasting trauma of that night but also the enduring fascination with one of the most notorious celebrity crimes in recent memory.
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Kim Kardashian, Paris robbery trial, Grandpa Robbers, Kim Kardashian heist, Paris crime news, Aomar Aït Khedache, Yunice Abbas, celebrity crime, Kim Kardashian news, Paris Fashion Week 2016