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The Independent
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Kim Kardashian forgives Paris robber in emotional testimony for $10m heist trial: Live updates
Kim Kardashian told a Paris courtroom she feared her sister Kourtney would find her 'shot dead' on the bed in the apartment after the violent 2016 Paris robbery. The Californian media personality was left traumatised after she was tied up and gagged by a gang of burglars, as they stole millions of dollars worth of jewellery from the central Paris apartment where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week in 2016. "I thought about my sister, thought she would walk in and see me shot dead and have that memory in her forever,' she told the court, adding she said a prayer that her sister would "have an OK life" after discovering her body. Earlier, Kardashian cried while telling the court how the ordeal 'changed everything' as started giving evidence in the trial of 10 people accused of subjecting her to a terrifying episode. The star's stylist Simone Harouche, who was with Kardashian during Fashion Week, told the courtroom she heard the celebrity screaming upstairs in the apartment during the robbery. 'What I heard specifically was 'I have babies and I need to live, take everything, I need to live,' Harouche said. Eight of the ten defendants - who face charges including armed robbery, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy - deny any involvement in the case. Kardashian has stayed calm over two hours of speaking Zoë Beaty reports from the Palais de Justice: It's now been almost two hours since Kardashian took the stand, yet she's retained the same calm demeanour for the duration. She speaks clearly, her hands clasped on the lectern in front of her when she's not speaking, but often gesticulating as she responds to continued questioning. Occasionally, she's quite animated, almost demonstrating her account as she recalls harrowing details – a gun at her back, tape binding her wrists – from the night of October 3, 2016. At the moment the chief judge is still leading questioning and proceedings, though at one point suspect Yunice Abbas, who wrote a book after the incident titled 'I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian' stood up to speak while she was on the stand. As well as the timeline of the evening in question, Kardashian has been asked about how obvious her location might be in the first storey suite of Hotel de Poutalès – or No Address France as it's known – and what she knows about the gang who attacked her. When Kardashian first heard the intruders, she "thought it was Kourtney and Stephanie coming home drunk" – it wasn't until later that she began to see the extent of what was happening. "Your emotions go in and out, in and out," she told court Voltaire earlier. "I thought maybe when he dropped me in the bathroom, someone had alerted him that someone was coming, or something. "That's when I realised there were more people; that they had a good system.' Kardashian says she felt relieved in that moment that she didn't try to run, in case she was confronted by more members of the gang waiting downstairs. Alex Croft13 May 2025 15:04 Court takes 15 minute break The court has taken a 15 minute pause. Stay here for all the latest updates once the court resumes sitting. Alex Croft13 May 2025 14:48 'I forgive you', Kardashian tells defendant after letter read out Zoë Beaty reports from the Palais de Justice: Kardashian thanked suspect Aomar Aït Khedache for a letter he wrote her – but says that it cannot change what happened that night. "I do appreciate the letter, for sure, I do appreciate it," she said. 'I forgive you,' she adds, "but it doesn't change that – the feelings and the trauma and the way my life is forever changed'. It came after the judge read out a letter from Aomar Ait Khedache - one of the defendants who lead the group - which he wrote after his arrest in 2017. He apologised for the 'pain' he had caused Ms Kardashian. 'I want to tell you human to human how I regret my actions and how I was touched to see you cry.' Kardashian's response to the letter has been influenced by the work she does back in the States, she tells the court, where she "works in the justice system … with people who have rehabilitated themselves. She added: "I do also fight for victims who have been through horrific crimes and who just want to be heard and understood.' 13 May 2025 14:43 Judge reads out letter in court from apologetic defendant The judge has now read out a letter from Aomar Ait Khedache, who was suspected of being a ringleader in the robbery. Khedache previously admitted his involvement, but denied leading the group. Kardashian had not heard about the letter before, but began crying as it was read out. "Madame, after seeing you in a French TV show and seeing your emotion and realising what psychological harm I did to you, that I decided to write to you,' the letter read, according to the BBC. "Not with the aim of getting forgiveness... I want to tell you human to human how I regret my actions and how I was touched to see you cry... I am sorry for the pain I caused you, your husband, you children and those who love you." The letter added: "Of course you can't undo the past but I hope this letter will help you forget the trauma you endured because of me." Alex Croft13 May 2025 14:39 Kardashian: I was told I would be OK if I was quiet Kim Kardashian has discussed in more detail her encounter with the suspects, revealing that she was told she would be OK if she 'just shut up'. "I only saw one (suspect) holding a weapon,' she told the court, "I felt like, because the guy that tied me up saw how frantic I was and wouldn't get close to me - almost whispering: 'Shhh, are you okay? - I felt in that moment that he was (like) a father. 'I felt like he wanted me to know that I would be okay if I just shut up. And then they started arguing. I didn't know what they said, as it was in French, and then he went from 'Shh' to aggressively grabbing my legs - so I thought maybe I got it wrong." She told the court she was 'not hit' but instead was 'grabbed, and dragged into the other room, and thrown onto the floor'. Kardashian added: "(The gun) was pointed towards me to get me to go from room to room, and it was pointed toward me on the bed at the end." Alex Croft13 May 2025 14:22 Kardashian recalls hiding in the bushes and calling mother, Kris Jenner Kim Kardashian's emotional account of the violent robbery in early October 2016 has continued. She has told the court of the moments after the robbers left, when she hid in the bushes and called her mother, Kris Jenner. "When I got downstairs, Simone [Harouche, Kardashian's stylist who testified this morning] let me know that she had called my sister Kourtney, and her and the security were on the way,' she said. 'We weren't sure at that point if they were going to come back. So, we ran on the balcony to hide in the bushes. "I remember calling my mom from the bushes to let her know what happened. And then I think while we were waiting for my security, we were trying to come up with a plan, if we should jump from the window, as it was just a one-storey building." Alex Croft I feared Kourtney would see me dead on the bed - Kardashian Zoë Beaty reports from the Palais de Justice. Kim Kardashian says she feared her sister Kourtney Kardashian, who was out at the time with the family's security guard, would find her dead on the bed. "I thought about my sister, thought she would walk in and see me shot dead and have that memory in her forever." She said a prayer that her sister would "have an OK life" after discovering her body. "Then I waited a few minutes. After a few minutes I didn't hear anything, so I scootched over to the sink, and it was a marble sink so I cut my ties." Alex Croft13 May 2025 14:02 Kardashian ignoring the defendants sat just metres away Kim Kardashian is sitting barely two metres away from Aomar Ait Khedache - the man accused of being the ringleader of the gang, who is deaf and mute. Khedache, who admits playing a role in the heist including tying Kardashian up, allegedly also held a gun in Kardashian's face. Yunice Abbas, the 71-year-old who has spoken openly in French media about his role in the robbery - and even written a memoir about it - is sat right behind her. According to a BBC reporter in the room, Kardashian has not looked at either of the defendants once, staring straight at the judges instead. Alex Croft13 May 2025 13:56 Pictured: Court sketch of Kardashian's friend and stylist Simone Harouche Alex Croft13 May 2025 13:43 Kardashian: I thought I was going to die - now I can't sleep at night Zoë Beaty reports from the Palais de Justice. Kim Kardashian has said she 'absolutely did think' she was going to die when she was thrown onto the bed by two men dressed in police uniforms. She now 'can't sleep at night' without 'multiple security' personnel to protect her. Alex Croft13 May 2025 13:30 More about Kim Kardashian Paris Paris Fashion Week trial
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kim Kardashian set to confront ‘grandpa robbers' in court over shocking 2016 Paris heist
Kim Kardashian faced her alleged robbers in a Paris court, testifying about the harrowing 2016 heist during Fashion Week where she was bound and robbed. The trial includes ten defendants, labeled as career criminals, accused of stealing millions in jewelry. Kardashian's friend, Simone Harouche, also testified, detailing the lasting impact of the traumatic event and Kardashian's increased security measures. Kim Kardashian made her way to a Paris court on Tuesday to confront the notorious " grandpa robbers " — the group responsible for the violent heist that shocked the world nearly a decade ago. The reality star and entrepreneur is set to testify about the terrifying 2016 robbery that occurred during Paris Fashion Week . Kim Kardashian is set to testify about the harrowing ordeal she endured in October 2016, when she was gagged, bound with tape and zip ties, and robbed at gunpoint inside a residence she had rented during Paris Fashion Week. In previous interviews, Kim Kardashian, 44, has shared the emotional trauma she endured when masked men, posing as police officers, broke into her property and stole valuables, including her $4 million diamond engagement ring. Tuesday's court appearance will be the only time Kim Kardashian is expected to take the stand and directly face the individuals accused of robbing her. From the early hours, dozens of journalists and onlookers gathered outside the courtroom, eager for a glimpse of Kim Kardashian as she prepared to testify. However, under French law, cameras were not allowed inside the court. The courthouse was alive with activity ahead of Kim Kardashian's appearance, as teenagers took selfies in the marble hallways and camera crews scrambled for the best vantage point. Theo Chbouki, an 18-year-old fashion student in the crowd, shared that it was his first time attending a criminal trial. He expressed curiosity about seeing Kim Kardashian in a "serious" real-life setting, away from the glossy world of social media and reality TV. 'It's iconic to see Kim Kardashian at a trial in Paris,' he said. Several of the defendants in the trial, nine men and one woman, are in their 60s and 70s. Prosecutors have labeled them as career criminals with a long history of offenses. Some defendants face charges of armed robbery as part of an organized gang, kidnapping, and other crimes, while others are accused of complicity or lesser offenses. The trial, which will be decided by three judges and a six-person jury, is expected to continue until the end of May. Most of the accused have denied their involvement in the robbery, which saw jewelry worth at least 8 million euros (over $9 million) stolen. Simone Harouche, a close friend and fashion stylist of Kim Kardashian at the time, testified in court on Tuesday, suggesting that the traumatic event had a profound and lasting impact on her life. Simone Harouche testified that following the robbery, Kim Kardashian took significant steps to improve her security, including upgrading her private security team and adjusting her social media practices. She no longer posts content in real time, a change she made after the thieves targeted her, likely due to her frequent displays of valuable jewelry online. Simone Harouche, the only other person in the residence with Kim Kardashian that night, recalled waking up to the sound of Kardashian screaming in fear, urgently pleading that she had children and wanted to live. Harouche described the scream as one of terror, unlike anything she had ever heard from her friend. She also remembered how Kardashian, with her ankles bound in tape, came rushing down the stairs in distress after the thieves had left. Harouche noted that Kardashian was completely shaken, saying she had never seen her in such a state before. After three months of wiretaps and surveillance, investigators were able to identify several suspects linked to the robbery. DNA evidence found on the tape and zip ties used to bind Kim Kardashian's hands and feet helped lead to their arrest.
CTV News
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Kim Kardashian arrives at Paris court to testify about 2016 heist that changed her life
Kim Kardashian waves as she arrives to testify regarding a robbery of millions of dollars in jewels from her Paris hotel room in 2016, in Paris, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) PARIS — Kim Kardashian has arrived at a Paris courthouse to testify against the men accused of robbing her at gunpoint in 2016, an event that reshaped her life and redefined celebrity security in the age of social media. This will be the first time she has faced the alleged assailants since that night, when she begged for her life as masked men bound her with zip ties and stole over $6 million in jewelry. Kardashian's appearance is expected to be the emotional centerpiece of a trial that has captivated France, where the suspects -- mostly in their 60s and 70s -- are nicknamed 'the grandpa robbers.' Authorities say the group tracked her via her Instagram posts. Two defendants have admitted being at the scene. Her lawyers say she is ready to confront those who attacked her, with dignity. Earlier, Kardashian 's childhood friend and then stylist told the court that she heard the celebrity beg for her life during the robbery that transformed the way the world viewed fame in the digital age. Simone Harouche, who was sharing their two-floor hotel suite during Fashion Week, said she heard a terrified Kardashian yelling: '`I have babies and I need to live.' That is what she kept on saying, `Take everything. I need to live.'' 'I was scared that she was raped or violated. I thought the worst,' Harouche said. Kardashian was 'screaming with terror in her voice.' One of the most recognizable figures on the planet, Kardashian is set to face 10 men accused of orchestrating the heist -- a crime that shook the fashion world and redefined the risks of being visible, female and famous in the Instagram era. Harouche told the court the trauma 'forever' changed her friend, whom she's known since age 12, robbing her of a basic human right: freedom. 'She now has a completely different lifestyle,' she said. 'In terms of security, she can't go alone, she doesn't go alone to places anymore. To lose your sense of freedom ... it's horrible.' Kardashian's testimony is expected to recount how the attackers demanded her ring and left her fearing she would never see her children again. David De Pas, the lead judge, asked Harouche whether Kardashian had made herself a target by posting images of herself with 'jewels of great value.' 'No,' Harouche replied. 'Just because a woman wears jewelry, that doesn't make her a target. That's like saying that because a woman wears a short skirt that she deserves to be raped.' Twelve suspects were originally charged. One has died. Another was excused due to illness. Most are in their 60s and 70s -- nicknamed les papys braqueurs, or 'the grandpa robbers' -- and authorities describe them as a seasoned and coordinated criminal gang. Two defendants have admitted being at the scene. The others deny involvement, and one claims he didn't know who Kardashian was. But police say the group tracked her via social media, where she had posted images of her jewelry, her hotel, and her schedule -- exposing her vulnerability. The heist turned Kardashian into a cautionary tale of hyper-visibility. At the time, she was at the height of her influence -- a style icon, social media pioneer and one of the most photographed women in the world. Fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld criticized her after the robbery, telling The Associated Press she was 'too public' with her wealth. Yet, as details emerged in the days after the heist, public sentiment shifted. The image of Kardashian -- alone, bound, and pleading for her life -- reframed her in the public eye. In the aftermath, Kardashian pulled back from the spotlight. She developed severe anxiety and later described symptoms of agoraphobia. 'I hated to go out,' she said in a 2021 interview. 'I didn't want anybody to know where I was ... I just had such anxiety.' Later, she acknowledged that constant sharing had made her vulnerable: 'People were watching,' she said. 'They knew what I had. They knew where I was.' Harouche, who hid in a downstairs bathroom during the robbery, said she also suffered trauma. She sought counseling for post-traumatic stress and left the celebrity styling world to become an interior designer. 'That experience was very stressful for me. It made me fearful of being around celebrities,' she said. Harouche said she went to bed before the robbery. Kardashian entertained friends upstairs. Screams jolted Harouche from her sleep. From inside the locked bathroom, she texted Kardashian's sister Kourtney and Kardashian's bodyguard that 'something is very wrong,' Harouche testified. Later, after the robbers had gone, she said she heard Kardashian hopping down the stairs with her ankles still bound to find her. 'She was beside herself,' Harouche said. 'She just was screaming.' By Thomas Adamson, John Leicester And Nicolas Vaux-montagny
BreakingNews.ie
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Kim Kardashian arrives at Paris court to give evidence about 2016 robbery
Kim Kardashian has arrived at a Paris court where she will give evidence against the men accused of robbing her at gunpoint in 2016. This will be the first time Kardashian has faced the alleged assailants since that night, when she begged for her life as masked men bound her with zip ties and stole jewellery worth millions of dollars. Advertisement Kardashian's appearance is expected to be the emotional centrepiece of a trial that has captivated France, where the suspects — mostly in their 60s and 70s — are nicknamed 'the grandpa robbers'. Kim Kardashian (Aurelien Morissard/AP) Authorities say the group tracked her via her Instagram posts. Two defendants have admitted being at the scene. Her lawyers say she is ready to confront those who attacked her with dignity. Advertisement Earlier, Kardashian's childhood friend and then stylist told the court that she heard the celebrity beg for her life during the robbery. Simone Harouche, who was sharing their two-floor hotel suite during Fashion Week, said she heard a terrified Kardashian yelling: ''I have babies and I need to live'. That is what she kept on saying, 'Take everything. I need to live.'' 'I was scared that she was raped or violated. I thought the worst,' Ms Harouche said. Kardashian was 'screaming with terror in her voice'. Advertisement Earlier, the court heard a stylist describe Kardashian screaming in terror during the robbery (Evan Agostini/AP) One of the most recognisable figures on the planet, Kardashian is set to face 10 men accused of orchestrating the heist — a crime that shook the fashion world and redefined the risks of being visible, female and famous in the Instagram era. Ms Harouche told the court the trauma 'forever' changed her friend, whom she's known since age 12, robbing her of a basic human right, freedom. 'She now has a completely different lifestyle,' she said. 'In terms of security, she can't go alone, she doesn't go alone to places anymore. To lose your sense of freedom … it's horrible.' Kardashian's evidence is expected to recount how the attackers demanded her ring and left her fearing she would never see her children again. Advertisement David De Pas, the lead judge, asked Ms Harouche whether Kardashian had made herself a target by posting images of herself with 'jewels of great value'. 'No,' Ms Harouche replied. 'Just because a woman wears jewellery, that doesn't make her a target. That's like saying that because a woman wears a short skirt that she deserves to be raped.' Twelve suspects were originally charged. One has died and another was excused due to illness. Most are in their 60s and 70s — nicknamed les papys braqueurs or 'the grandpa robbers' — and authorities describe them as a seasoned and co-ordinated criminal gang. Advertisement Two defendants have admitted being at the scene. The others deny involvement, and one claims he didn't know who Kardashian was. But police say the group tracked her via social media, where she had posted images of her jewellery, her hotel and her schedule — exposing her vulnerability.
News.com.au
13-05-2025
- News.com.au
Trial gets underway for men accused of robbing Kim Kardashian in Paris in 2016
Kim Kardashian's pal heard the reality star scream as she was held at gunpoint and begged for her life in a horror Paris raid. Simone Harouche, 45, testified at the Palais de Justice in central Paris on Tuesday morning, reports The Sun. Harouche was spotted arriving at the court on Tuesday morning wearing a floor length black coat, accompanied by her lawyer. The stylist was in a nearby room in the hotel when the terrifying raid took place in 2016. She reportedly locked herself in the bathroom and called Kim's security guard when she heard screams. She told the court how Kim begged: 'I have babies and I need to live.' She said: 'I think that that moment changed her life forever. 'I think that it changed for both of us, but particularly for her, her loss of freedom. 'She has a completely different lifestyle. 'In terms of security she can't go alone, she doesn't go alone to places any more. 'To lose your sense of freedom is horrible. 'I just want justice to be served.' Harouche was the first person Kim ran to after managing to free herself. She told the court: 'I have seen her through the death of family, I have seen her through divorce, through the worst of times, very difficult times, I have never seen her like this.' Describing her own journey home, the stylist said: 'When I got on the flight I started crying and I cried pretty much the whole plane ride home.' Harouche is one of Kim's oldest friends with the pair knowing each other since the age of 11. Kim, 44, is expected to start giving evidence inside the grand courtroom at 1pm UK time. The reality star flew into the French capital on Monday on a private jet supported by her mother Kris Jenner and her boyfriend Corey Gamble. This comes as her lawyers said last week that Kim was finally ready to 'confront' her alleged attackers. French lawyers Leonor Hennerick and Jonathan Mattout said: 'She is committed to attending in person.' They added that she would go in with 'dignity and courage'. The landmark trial has attracted a lot of attention with queues outside the court starting at 6am this morning. Around 500 foreign media accredited by the French justice system will also be in attendance along with a huge police presence. Ten people are on trial for stealing $10 million worth of luxury jewels – including Kim's $4 million diamond engagement ring. Of the ten being tried, five are on trial for armed robbery and kidnap charges while the rest are on for complicity in the heist or possession of a weapon. French media has dubbed the gang of criminals 'Grandpa robbers' because many are in their 60s and 70s with ailing health. Most have criminal records spanning back decades and have spent much of their adult lives behind bars. The alleged ringleader of the group, Aomar Ait Khedache, 68, has been questioned but is deaf and mute and had to write his answers down. He has also reportedly written a letter to Kim from jail apologising for the trauma he caused. Most of the defendants are expected to receive lengthy jail sentences if found guilty. The trial is expected to continue until the end of May. Kim was left fearing for her life during the horror attack after the gang bound her hands and feet, and taped her mouth. The attackers then carried her to the bathtub wearing only a bathrobe. And the court has heard that it was likely the dressing gown came undone at some point during the heist and the robbers saw her partially naked. The reality star has previously spoken of how she thought she was going to be raped and killed during the raid in an emotional interview on US TV. Kim said: 'I was like, 'Okay, this is the time I'm going to get raped'.' She added that she that worried for her sister Kourtney, who was out clubbing, and said: 'I'm gonna be dead in the room and she's gonna be traumatised for the rest of her life.'
