Kardashian 'grateful' after Paris robbers convicted
Describing the heist as "the most terrifying experience of my life", Kardashian swiftly expressed her gratitude to the French authorities for pursuing "justice" in the case.
Nine men and one woman have been on trial since April and prosecutors sought the toughest jail terms -- 10 years -- for the four men accused of carrying out the robbery.
Aomar Ait Khedache, 69, the ringleader, was handed the heaviest sentence of three years in prison plus five years suspended, but due to time served in jail will not return to detention, like all the others convicted.
Two other suspects accused of handing information about the American superstar's whereabouts were acquitted. All the sentences were substantially lower than the terms demanded by the prosecution.
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 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.
- 'I am very sorry' -
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 ahead of 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, at 35 the only youngster, 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".
- 'Grandpa robbers' -
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 euros ($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.
mdh-sjw/phz
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Trio guilty of London arson attack linked to Russian mercenary group Wagner
Three men have been found guilty of an arson attack on a London warehouse carried out on behalf of the Russian mercenary group Wagner. Nii Kojo Mensah, 23, Jakeem Rose, 23, and Ugnius Asmena, 20, were convicted of aggravated arson with intent to endanger life, by a jury at London's Old Bailey, on Tuesday. The court heard the attack on March 20, 2024, targeted businesses linked to Ukraine, and was planned by agents of Wagner Group, acting on behalf of Russian military intelligence. The warehouse targeted by the trio stored aid and Starlink satellite devices vital for Ukraine's defence against Russia's continuing invasion. CCTV shown to the court showed Rose and Mensah near the warehouse shortly before setting fire to it. The fire caused around 1 million pounds ($2 million) worth of damage. A fourth man, Paul English, 61, was cleared of any wrongdoing. Prosecutors said the attack was orchestrated by Dylan Earl, 21, and Jake Reeves, 23, who had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated arson on behalf of the Wagner Group. Earl also became the first person convicted under the National Security Act when he admitted his role in a plot targeting a wine shop and restaurant in London's upmarket Mayfair district, with plans to kidnap the owner, a high-profile critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Earl exchanged hundreds of messages with an apparent Wagner handler who encouraged him to find links with soccer hooligans, Irish republican militants and high-profile criminal groups. The arson attack was the latest incident involving allegations of malign activity by Moscow in Britain. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the London police's Counter Terrorism Command, said both plots involving Earl showed "the Russian state projecting activity into the United Kingdom". He said Russia and other states such as Iran had adapted to British authorities' response to hostile activity, with some 20 per cent of counterterrorism police's work coming from foreign states. "We've made the UK a hostile operating environment for those governments but, as a result, they've diversified and are now contacting relatively young people to act on their behalf as proxies in doing their activity," Cmdr Murphy said. The Kremlin has denied the accusations, and its embassy in London has rejected any part in the warehouse fire, saying the British government repeatedly blames Russia for anything "bad" that happens in Britain. In March, a group of Bulgarians were convicted of being directed by Wirecard fugitive Jan Marsalek to spy for Russian intelligence. British authorities say that, since the expulsion of Russian spies following the 2018 poisoning of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, Moscow has had to rely mainly on criminals motivated by financial gain, or those with existing grievances, to carry out activities on its behalf. AP/Reuters
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
Man ‘sucked into plane engine and killed' on airport runway as jet prepares to take off in tarmac horror in Milan
A man has reportedly been sucked into a plane engine and killed on an airport runway in Milan. Operations at the busy Orio al Serio Airport, popularly known as Milano Bergamo, came to a halt at 10.20am after a 'fatal accident' on the tarmac. According to Corriere della Sera, the victim was not a passenger or airport staff member. The person is believed to have run onto the tarmac and into the path of an Airbus A319 Volotea aircraft bound to Asturias, Spain, as it was taxing for takeoff. Airport sources told the outlet that the person was pulled into the aircraft engine in a horrifying moment just as the plane was preparing to depart. Airport operator SACBO confirmed a 'problem that occurred on the taxiway' and said 'the causes of the problem are currently being investigated by the authorities.' Flight operations at Orio al Serio – one of Italy's busiest airports – have been suspended since the moment of the incident, with a cascading effect on travel across the region. By 11.50am local time, a total of nine flights had already been diverted – one to Bologna, two to Verona, and six rerouted to Milan Malpensa. Eight departures were also cancelled outright. It is not yet known when operations at Milano Bergamo Airport will return to normal. The airport's official X account confirmed the halt in operations: 'SACBO announces that flight operations at Milan Bergamo Airport were suspended at 10.20 am due to a problem that occurred on the taxiway. The causes of the problem are currently being investigated by the authorities.' 'The area remains cordoned off as authorities work to determine how the man was able to breach security and get so close to a moving aircraft.
SBS Australia
7 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Family responds to coroner's findings that Kumanjayi Walker's death was avoidable
Family responds to coroner's findings that Kumanjayi Walker's death was avoidable Published 8 July 2025, 6:31 am The family of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker who was shot dead by Northern Territory police have responded to the findings released by the coroner. They say they feel validated by the report but are calling for police to be removed from remote communities and replaced with a new solution. The NT Police Force has accepted racism exists within all levels of the organisation promising to eliminate it with long-lasting reform.
