PARIS, April 21, 2025 – A group of aging suspects, dubbed the “grandpa robbers,” will stand trial starting April 28 for the audacious 2016 robbery of reality TV star Kim Kardashian in Paris, a crime labeled by French media as the “heist of the century.” The ten defendants face charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, and membership in a criminal gang for stealing jewelry worth €10 million ($11.4 million), including a $4 million diamond ring gifted to Kardashian by her then-husband, Kanye West.
On the night of October 2-3, 2016, during Paris Fashion Week, masked men, some posing as police officers, stormed the luxury No Address Hotel where Kardashian, then 35, was staying. Without her bodyguard, who was accompanying her sister Kourtney, Kardashian was overpowered by two intruders who held guns to her head, demanding her 18.88-carat diamond engagement ring, which she had flaunted on social media. The robbers tied her up, gagged her, and locked her in the bathroom while making off with additional gold and diamond jewelry, including a Rolex watch, in a heist that lasted just 10 minutes.
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Among the accused is 68-year-old Aomar Ait Khedache, known as “Old Omar,” who admitted involvement but denies being the ringleader. Another suspect, 71-year-old Yunice Abbas, allegedly dropped a €30,000 diamond-encrusted cross while fleeing on a bicycle. Most of the stolen items, believed to have been sold in Belgium, remain unrecovered. The suspects, identified largely through DNA evidence, reportedly saw the heist as a criminal comeback. Kardashian is set to testify in person on May 13, with a verdict expected by May 23.
The trial revisits a case that exposed vulnerabilities in celebrity security and sparked debates about social media’s role in enabling high-profile crimes.
Key Points:
Trial Date: Begins April 28, 2025, with a verdict expected by May 23.
Incident: October 2-3, 2016, robbery of Kim Kardashian at No Address Hotel, Paris, during Fashion Week.
Stolen Items: Jewelry worth €10 million ($11.4 million), including a $4 million, 18.88-carat diamond ring from Kanye West.
Suspects: Ten defendants, nicknamed “grandpa robbers,” face charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, and criminal gang membership.
Key Suspect: Aomar Ait Khedache (“Old Omar”), 68, admits involvement but denies being the ringleader.
Heist Details: Masked men, some posing as police, tied up and gagged Kardashian, locking her in a bathroom; robbery lasted 10 minutes.
Evidence: Suspects identified via DNA; some stolen items dropped, but most, likely sold in Belgium, remain unrecovered.
Kardashian’s Role: Will testify in person on May 13, 2025.
Context: Labeled France’s biggest individual hold-up in 20 years; highlighted risks of social media oversharing and celebrity security gaps.
