
Kim Kardashian expresses gratitude as robbers convicted in Paris heist
Kardashian, then 35, was robbed while staying at an exclusive hotel in the French capital on the night of October 2-3, 2016.
She was threatened with a gun to the head and tied up, with her mouth taped.
Kardashian said after the verdict she was 'deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice'.
'The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family,' she said in a statement sent by her lawyers.
'While I'll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all,' she added.
After the hearing adjourned, the convicted men embraced their loved ones in relief and slowly left the courtroom, taking with them the bags and suitcases they had prepared in case of imprisonment.
'The sentences are quite lenient; I understand that you understand that you have caused harm,' presiding Judge David De Pas told them as he read out the verdicts.
He also said 'the state of health of the main protagonists ethically prohibits incarcerating anyone. It would have been unjust to take you to prison this evening'.
Aomar Ait Khedache had begged to be forgiven in his final statement before sentencing.
Khedache is now virtually mute and completely deaf, and his statement was read out by his lawyer.
'I ask for forgiveness. I can't find the words. I am very sorry,' he wrote, asking for 'a thousand pardons' from his son Harminy, who was convicted for acting as a driver on the night of the heist.
Two other men convicted of carrying out the robbery on the night, Yunice Abbas, 71, and Didier Dubreucq, 69, were sentenced to seven years' jail including five suspended. Dubreucq was absent as he is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
The fourth member of the robbery gang, Marc-Alexandre Boyer, 35, was given the same sentence.
Kardashian's lawyers said in a statement that the star 'looks forward to putting this tragic episode behind her, as she continues working to improve the criminal justice system on behalf of victims, the innocent, and the incarcerated seeking to redeem themselves'.
Most of the stolen valuables were never recovered, including a diamond ring given to Kardashian by her then-husband, rapper Kanye West.
The ring alone was valued at €3.5 million ($3.9 million).
The robbery was the biggest against a private individual in France in 20 years.
Most of the accused are now in their 60s and 70s and have been dubbed the 'Grandpa robbers' by French media.
But making the sentencing demands earlier this week, the prosecutor urged the judges and jury to remember that Kardashian was targeted by a violent attack and not to be taken in by the 'wrinkles' of the defendants.
The American star testified at the trial, wearing a diamond necklace valued at $3 million, according to its New York-based creator Samer Halimeh.
During the trial, Kardashian told the court she forgave Khedache after hearing a letter of apology from him.
'I forgive you for what has taken place but it does not change the emotion, the feelings, the trauma and the way my life changed,' she told Khedache, adding that she believed in a 'second chance'.
Kardashian, sometimes described as 'famous for being famous', became well known in the early 2000s through TV reality shows, before launching fashion brands and appearing in films.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Support offered to staff after public servant dies in Wellington city, colleagues witness emergency response
Government agencies are offering support to their staff after a public servant died in central Wellington and colleagues witnessed the emergency response on their way to work. WorkSafe said in a statement they were 'saddened to confirm one of our Wellington-based staff members died on 21 May 2025″. 'This did


Techday NZ
3 days ago
- Techday NZ
Fake AI social media ads spread malware to millions globally
Mandiant Threat Defense has released research identifying a Vietnam-linked cyber campaign that exploits public interest in artificial intelligence tools by distributing malware via social media advertisements. The research traces the campaign to a group known as UNC6032, which uses paid advertisements on platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn to draw victims toward counterfeit websites masquerading as well-known AI brands including Luma AI, Canva Dream Lab, and Kling AI. These fake advertisements redirect users to domains designed to closely resemble legitimate AI service platforms. However, instead of offering genuine AI-generated content, these fraudulent websites deliver malware. The malicious software is designed to extract sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card data, cookies, and other personal details from victims' systems. "Our research shows this campaign has already reached millions of users globally. The threat actors have cleverly leveraged the explosive interest in AI tools, combining realistic branding with paid ads on trusted platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. A well-crafted spoofed website can pose a significant risk to anyone—from consumers to enterprise users," Yash Gupta, Senior Manager at Mandiant Threat Defense, commented. Mandiant reports that the campaign was first detected in late 2024 and has since been monitored across a large number of deceptive advertisements. Mandiant analysts employed transparency resources such as Meta's Ad Library and LinkedIn's Ad Transparency Center to uncover the scale of the activity, which involved more than 30 unique fake domains promoted through thousands of social media ads. Among the findings was a sample of over 120 malicious Facebook ads whose estimated reach exceeded 2.3 million users within the European Union. The attackers ran these campaigns using both fraudulent pages that they created and compromised legitimate accounts, often limiting the lifespan of each campaign to avoid being detected and removed by the platforms' security measures. On LinkedIn, Mandiant detected approximately 10 malicious ads, including content directing users to recently registered domains such as klingxai[.]com, which first appeared in late 2024. Once directed to the spoofed websites, users download a Python-based malware referred to by Mandiant as STARKVEIL. This type of malware enables attackers to deploy multiple information stealers and backdoors on the victims' devices. The malware extracts sensitive data and communicates with operators via channels such as Telegram, facilitating exfiltration of the stolen information to attacker-controlled infrastructure. Mandiant's M-Trends 2025 report notes that compromised credentials are the second most common initial access point for cybercriminals, highlighting the broader risk posed by this type of activity to individuals and organisations alike. "A significant portion of Meta's detection and removal activity began independently in 2024, ahead of our alerts. But with new malicious ads appearing daily, ongoing cross-industry collaboration remains essential to defend users at scale," Gupta said, highlighting the efforts of social media platforms in tackling such threats ahead of external alerts. Mandiant additionally cautions that similar malicious operations are likely to be active on a range of other platforms, as cybercriminal groups continue to adapt their methods in response to detection and removal efforts. The company advises users to exercise caution by avoiding AI tool ads from unverified sources, inspecting URLs prior to downloading software, keeping antivirus and endpoint protection updated, and reporting suspicious advertisements directly to platform providers.


NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Whakatāne homicide: Women accused of killing 8-year-old Rickah'Shae Keefe-Haerewa face additional charges
She's now also charged with ill-treatment of a child and two charges of assault with a weapon, which she denies. The charge notice alleges she used a cord, and a pole or stick, as weapons. Timu faces six charges relating to Rickah'Shae – including manslaughter and two charges of assaulting a child, which she previously pleaded not guilty to. Pauline Timu (left) and Maya Hati, pictured at earlier appearances, face charges of violence, and the ill-treatment of a child. Composite image / Hannah Bartlett She's now also charged with ill-treatment of a child, and two charges of assault with a weapon, which she denies. She too is alleged to have used a cord, and a pole or stick, as weapons. Hati now faces three charges related to a further child, added to the same charge notice as the Rickah'Shae charges. They are assault of a child, assault with a weapon, and ill-treatment of a child. Timu also faces the same three charges, against the same child. An investigation into Rickah'Shae's death began after police were called to Whakatāne Hospital in November last year, after the child died following an alleged assault. A scene examination was carried out at a property in the small town of Te Teko. Rickah'Shae Keefe-Haerewa, also known as Joppy. Hati was charged first over Rickah'Shae's death, with Timu's charges following. Family members posted tributes to the young boy, who also went by the nickname Joppy, online. 'Mummy and Daddy love you. Forever 8 my son.' At earlier court appearances, supporters of Rickah'Shae wore 'Forever 8″ hoodies and T-shirts to the proceedings. At Hati's previous appearance in Tauranga, emotions ran high for both families; as Hati's family expressed their love and support for her as she left the dock, a single voice from the boy's family was heard to allege, 'You killed my baby'. Supporters for Hati, Timu and Rickah'Shae, were present in court on Wednesday. Hannah Bartlett is a Tauranga-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She previously covered court and local government for the Nelson Mail, and before that was a radio reporter at Newstalk ZB.