Updated April 29, 2025 at 10:06 AM PDT
PARIS — Nine years ago TV reality star Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris. Thieves broke into her luxury rented apartment in the middle of the night, tied her up and made away with $10 million in jewelry.
That included a $4 million engagement ring from rapper Kanye West (who now goes by Ye). The alleged thieves were caught and their trial began this week.
It pits the reality TV star against old-style, aging bandits — the "grandpa robbers," as the French press calls them.
The 11 men and one woman came on foot and bike — dressed as police officers, to trick the doorman at Kardashian's apartment in Paris during Fashion Week in October 2016.
One suspect in his 70s, Yunice Abbas, has written a book about the heist. He had already served 20 years in prison for burglary.
"I told myself this was really the last time. But a 20-karat diamond without protection — that was tempting," he said in an interview with French broadcaster TF1. "I had no idea who she was. I was just told 'the wife of a rapper.' "
The ring, however, was known. Kardashian had been vaunting it to her with more than 300 million followers on Instagram.
Abbas said they only stayed 6 minutes. His getaway bike had a flat tire and his bag of jewels got caught on the bike and ripped. The jewels fell out into the street. A $24,000 diamond cross necklace fell into the gutter and was found the next day by a passerby who wore it until she turned it in.
The amateur gangsters, with nicknames like Old Omar and Blue Eyes, used tape and velcro to restrain Kardashian and left their DNA everywhere. They were caught within four months.
Mohand Ouidja, lawyer for the security guard who was tied up and now has PTSD, says it might seem humorous but it is serious. "It's theft and violence with guns and bondage," he says. "It's grave. Whatever the age of the actors, this is a criminal gang."
Kardashian described the night as the worst moment of her life. Her $4 million diamond ring was never found. She will return to Paris to testify in mid-May.
Abbas says he wants to apologize.
Copyright 2025 NPR
