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Scottish Sun
24-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Gang convicted of robbing Kim Kardashian at gunpoint released from jail as they are too old and sick
A GANG who were convicted of robbing Kim Kardashian at gunpoint have been released from jail because they are too old and sick to be banged up. The seven men and one woman, aged in their 60s and 70s, were found guilty of robbing the reality TV star in 2016 by a French court on Friday. 1 Kim Kardashian was zip-tyed in her hotel room in Paris and her jewellery was stolen Credit: Reuters But the gang, including some who have serious illnesses, have all walked free because of their health and age, and the time they've already spent in prison ahead of the trial. Judge David De Pas, who sentenced the gang, said the state of their health ''prohibits'' them from being incarcerated and none of them were likely to reoffend. He added: 'It would have been unjust to take you to prison this evening. ''You caused trauma, probably in a lasting way, but 'rebuilt your lives and taken steps to reintegrate.'' A spokesperson for their lawyers said: ''Health and age factors and the fact that they have spent periods in prison already means that none will go back inside a cell. ''All have returned to their homes.'' The highest sentence of eight years in prison with five suspended was handed down to the gang's 69-year-old ringleader Aomar Aït Khedache, who is deaf and can barely speak. Other gang members include Yunnis Abbas, 72, who has Parkinson's disease and had recent heart surgery, and Didier Dubreucq, 69, who is a heavy smoker who has lung cancer. The gang were found guilty of zip-tying the reality TV star, 44, in her room at a swanky hotel in Paris and nicking her jewellery worth $10million, including an engagement ring from rapper ex-husband, Kanye West. The announcement comes after lawyers for Kardashian said she was ''satisfied'' with the result of the trial, and that ''justice had been served''. Kim Kardashian's ex-bodyguard was right to leave her before Paris robbery, his lawyer says Her barrister, Léonor Hennerick, said: ''It's now done, she can move on.'' She also confirmed that the vast majority of the swag has never been recovered. The highest sentence of eight years in prison with five suspended was handed down to the gang's 69-year-old ringleader Aomar Aït Khedache, who is deaf and can barely speak. Khedache's defence lawyer, Chloé Arnoux, praised the judge for dishing out lenient sentences, saying: ''This decision is also proof that justice can truly redress the situation in ways other than prison.''
The Sun
24-05-2025
- The Sun
Gang convicted of robbing Kim Kardashian at gunpoint released from jail as they are too old and sick
A GANG who were convicted of robbing Kim Kardashian at gunpoint have been released from jail because they are too old and sick to be banged up. The seven men and one woman, aged in their 60s and 70s, were found guilty of robbing the reality TV star in 2016 by a French court on Friday. 1 But the gang, including some who have serious illnesses, have all walked free because of their health and age, and the time they've already spent in prison ahead of the trial. Judge David De Pas, who sentenced the gang, said the state of their health ''prohibits'' them from being incarcerated and none of them were likely to reoffend. He added: 'It would have been unjust to take you to prison this evening. ''You caused trauma, probably in a lasting way, but 'rebuilt your lives and taken steps to reintegrate.'' A spokesperson for their lawyers said: ''Health and age factors and the fact that they have spent periods in prison already means that none will go back inside a cell. ''All have returned to their homes.'' The highest sentence of eight years in prison with five suspended was handed down to the gang's 69-year-old ringleader Aomar Aït Khedache, who is deaf and can barely speak. Other gang members include Yunnis Abbas, 72, who has Parkinson's disease and had recent heart surgery, and Didier Dubreucq, 69, who is a heavy smoker who has lung cancer. The gang were found guilty of zip-tying the reality TV star, 44, in her room at a swanky hotel in Paris and nicking her jewellery worth $10million, including an engagement ring from rapper ex-husband, Kanye West. The announcement comes after lawyers for Kardashian said she was ''satisfied'' with the result of the trial, and that ''justice had been served''. Kim Kardashian's ex-bodyguard was right to leave her before Paris robbery, his lawyer says Her barrister, Léonor Hennerick, said: ''It's now done, she can move on.'' She also confirmed that the vast majority of the swag has never been recovered. The highest sentence of eight years in prison with five suspended was handed down to the gang's 69-year-old ringleader Aomar Aït Khedache, who is deaf and can barely speak. Khedache's defence lawyer, Chloé Arnoux, praised the judge for dishing out lenient sentences, saying: ''This decision is also proof that justice can truly redress the situation in ways other than prison.''
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
NONE of Kim Kardashian's armed robbers will spend one more day in prison after they held her at gunpoint and stole $10million of jewellery
Not a single one of the armed robbers who held Kim Kardashian up at gunpoint and stole $10million-worth of jewellery will spend another day in prison, it emerged today. Lawyers for the seven men and one woman found guilty of targeting the 44-year-old reality TV star confirmed on Saturday that all remained free. This was despite them all being convicted at the Paris Assizes on Friday, following a high-profile trial lasting just under a month. 'Health and age factors and the fact that they have spent periods in prison already means that none will go back inside a cell,' said a defence counsel source. 'All have returned to their homes.' It came as lawyers for Ms Kardashian said she was 'satisfied' with the result of the trial, and that 'justice had been served..' 'It's now done, she can move on,' said the American's barrister, Léonor Hennerick, although she confirmed that the vast majority of the swag has never been recovered. The highest sentence of eight years in prison - with five suspended - was handed down to 69-year-old Aomar Aït Khedache, the ringleader of the gang, who have been referred to as the 'Grandpa Robbers', because most are now in their 60s and 70s. Known as 'Old Omar', Aït Khedache is deaf and can barely speak following years of ill health and a lifetime of violent crime, including other heists and drugs running. His defence lawyer, Chloé Arnoux, said: 'He was sentenced to eight years in prison, but he won't go, because he has already served five years in prison. 'He was convicted in 2017 for another sentence concurrently with the latest one handed down, so the remaining three years will be suspended too.' Ms Arnoux said: 'This decision is also proof that justice can truly redress the situation in ways other than prison.' Yunnis Abbas, a 72-year-old who wrote a book titled 'I kidnapped Kim Kardashian', received a seven year sentence, with two years suspended, but has already spent enough time inside to go free. Prosecutors had called for 10 years in prison for the robbers, and trial judge David De Pas had it in his power to imprison them for up to 30 years. The Judge later admitted 'the sentences were fairly lenient,' but it was almost nine years since the October 2016 heist, and none of the accused was likely to reoffend, he said. 'You didn't hit anyone, you frightened them,' the Judge told the defendants. 'You caused trauma, probably in a lasting way,' but 'rebuilt your lives and taken steps to reintegrate.' Two of the defendants - both considered informants who allegedly passed on Ms Kardashian's movement to the gang during Paris Fashion Week - were acquitted. Ms Kardashian lost some of her most treasured possessions in the raid, including a $4million engagement ring from her ex-husband, the rapper Kanye West. During an emotional testimony to the court last week, she said she had feared she would not survive the raid. Judge De Pas asked her directly during court questioning: 'Did you think you were going to die, Madam?' The American replied: 'Absolutely, I was certain I was going to die..' The vast majority of defendants were imprisoned in January 2017, three months after the robbery. But then they were released on bail, meaning they were all free when the trial started in April. Ms Kardashian was not in court on Friday, but her lawyers said she was following proceedings from her home in Los Angeles. The 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' star qualified as an attorney this month, following six years of study. She said she wanted to 'fight for justice', including for defendants in criminal trials. Her late father, Robert Kardashian Junior, famoulsy defended actor at his trial for murder in 1995. During the Paris trial, Ms Kardashian accepted an emotional apology from the gang ringleader, Aït Khedache. In a statement released after the trial, the 44-year-old added that she was 'deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case.' The SKIMS founder said: '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,' she added in what could be perceived in a nod to the family of the criminals. She ended with: 'I remain committed to advocating for justice, and promoting a fair legal system.' Paris detectives were originally convinced that justice in the Kardashian case would be swift and decisive, but timetabling problems caused by other high-profile trials, including terrorist ones, caused backlogs. There were also fears that the Kardashian case would destroy the VIP French tourism industry at a time of prestige five-star events, such as the Paris Olympics and Rugby World Cup.
Arab News
24-05-2025
- Arab News
Kim Kardashian's robbers found guilty in Paris
PARIS: A Paris court this week found the ringleader and seven other people guilty in the 2016 armed robbery of Kim Kardashian, but did not impose any additional time behind bars for their roles in what the US celebrity described as 'the most terrifying experience of my life." The chief judge, David De Pas, said that the defendants' ages — six are in their 60s and 70s — and their health issues weighed on the court's decision to impose sentences that he said 'aren't very severe.' He said that the nine years between the robbery and the trial — long even by the standards of France's famously deliberate legal system — were also taken into account in not imposing harsher sentences. The court acquitted two of the 10 defendants. Algerian-born Aomar Aït Khedache, 69, the ringleader, got the stiffest sentence, eight years imprisonment but five of those were suspended. Three others got seven years, five of them suspended. Three more got prison sentences ranging from five to three years, mostly or completely suspended, and an eighth person was found guilty on a weapons charge and fined. With time already served in pretrial detention, none of those found guilty will go to prison and all walked out free. The trial was heard by a three-judge panel and six jurors. Still, the chief judge said that Kardashian had been traumatized by the Oct. 2, 2016, jewel heist in her hotel during Fashion Week. 'You caused harm,' the judge said. 'You caused fear.' Kardashian, who wasn't present for the verdict, said in a statement issued afterward that she was 'deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this 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," said the celebrity who is working to become a lawyer.
Asharq Al-Awsat
24-05-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Kim Kardashian's Robbers Found Guilty in Paris but Won't Face Prison Time
A Paris court on Friday found the ringleader and seven other people guilty in the 2016 armed robbery of Kim Kardashian, but did not impose any additional time behind bars for their roles in what the US celebrity described as "the most terrifying experience of my life." The chief judge, David De Pas, said that the defendants' ages — six are in their 60s and 70s — and their health issues weighed on the court's decision to impose sentences that he said "aren't very severe." He said that the nine years between the robbery and the trial, long even by the standards of France's famously deliberate legal system, were also taken into account in not imposing harsher sentences. The court acquitted two of the 10 defendants. Aomar Aït Khedache, 69, the ringleader, got the stiffest sentence, eight years imprisonment but five of those were suspended. Three others got seven years, five of them suspended. Three more got prison sentences ranging from five to three years, mostly or completely suspended, and an eighth person was found guilty on a weapons charge and fined. With time already served in pretrial detention, none of those found guilty will go to prison and all walked out free. The trial was heard by a three-judge panel and six jurors. Still, the chief judge said that Kardashian had been traumatized by the Oct. 2, 2016, jewel heist in her hotel during Fashion Week. "You caused harm," the judge said. "You caused fear." Kardashian, who wasn't present for the verdict, said in a statement issued afterward that she was "deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this 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," said the celebrity who is working to become a lawyer. A separate statement from her legal team said that "Kim appreciates the court's decision." "It has been a long journey from that terrible night," it said. "She looks forward to putting this tragic episode behind her." Khedache's walking stick clicked on the courthouse's marble floors as he walked out free. His DNA, found on the bands used to bind Kardashian, was a breakthrough that helped crack open the case. Wiretaps captured him giving orders, recruiting accomplices and arranging to sell the diamonds in Belgium. A diamond-encrusted cross, dropped during the escape, was the only piece of jewelry ever recovered. The men made off with more than $6 million in jewelry, including a diamond ring she'd worn that night to a Givenchy show. They also took a watch her late father had given her when she graduated high school. Two of the robbers, dressed as police, forced their way into her suite in the glamorous Hôtel de Pourtalès and bound Kardashian with zip ties and tape. The theft subsequently forced celebrities to rethink how they live and protect themselves. Because of their ages, the accused became known in France as "les papys braqueurs," or the grandpa robbers. They faced charges including armed robbery, kidnapping and gang association. Kardashian's testimony earlier this month was the trial's emotional high point. In a packed courtroom, she recounted how she was thrown onto a bed and had a gun pressed to her. "I absolutely did think I was going to die," she said. She said she pleaded: "I have babies. I have to make it home. They can take everything. I just have to make it home." She was dragged into a marble bathroom and told to stay silent. When the robbers fled, she freed herself by scraping the tape on her wrists off against the sink, then hid with her friend, shaking and barefoot. She said that Paris had once been her sanctuary, a city she would wander at 3 a.m., window shopping, stopping for hot chocolate. That illusion was shattered. Khedache's lawyer pleaded for clemency, pointing to one of the trial's most visceral moments when he and Kardashian came face to face during her testimony. "She listened to the letter he had written to her, and then she forgave him," lawyer Franck Berton told The Associated Press. Kardashian, typically shielded by security and spectacle, had locked eyes with Khedache as the letter was read aloud. "I do appreciate the letter, I forgive you," she said. "But it doesn't change the feelings and the trauma and the fact that my life was forever changed." Khedache on Friday asked for "a thousand pardons," communicated via a written note in court. Other defendants also used their final words to express remorse. The robbery echoed beyond the City of Light. It forced a recalibration of celebrity behavior in the age of Instagram. For years, Kardashian had curated her life like a showroom: geo-tagged, diamond-lit, public by design. But this was the moment the showroom turned into a crime scene. In her words, "People were watching ... They knew where I was." Afterward, she stopped posting her location in real time. She stripped her social media feed of lavish gifts. Other stars followed suit.
