Appearing in a Paris court on Tuesday, reality TV star Kim Kardashian recounted the night in 2016 when masked men robbed her at gunpoint of approximately $10 million worth of jewellery in her hotel room.
She testified that she feared for her life during the ordeal but expressed forgiveness for the perpetrators, despite the lasting “trauma.”
The trial of 10 suspects has drawn significant media attention, with nearly 500 reporters accredited and crowds gathering outside the courthouse, hoping to catch a glimpse of the celebrity.
Kardashian, wearing a black skirt suit and a jewelled necklace, addressed the packed courtroom, thanking everyone, particularly the French authorities, for allowing her to testify and share her truth.
She recalled arriving in Paris for Fashion Week, a city she has always loved, and then detailed the events of the night of October 2-3, 2016, when she was robbed at a discreet hotel in the city centre.
She explained that she was in her room while her best friend, sister, friend, and mother were out for the evening when she heard “stomping” up the stairs.
Then, individuals “who I assumed were police officers because they were in uniform” entered her room. Kardashian, who has a massive following on Instagram and X, then described how one of the men repeatedly said “ring” with an accent, pointing his finger, and she initially didn’t realise he was referring to her jewellery.
The man found a diamond ring, a gift from her then-husband Kanye West, valued at 3.5 million euros ($3.9 million).
The attackers then demanded more valuables, threatened Kardashian with a gun, and tied her up with a zip tie, a moment she described as visibly emotional. “I was certain that he was going to shoot me, so I said a prayer for my family,” she testified.
When asked by the presiding judge if she feared being killed, Kardashian replied, “I did. I thought I was going to die.” She also feared rape, but the man with the gun “closed my legs and put a tape on my leg.”
Kardashian stated that she was “grabbed and dragged into the other room” but was not physically hit. However, their sudden appearance and the gun were “absolutely terrifying.”
Based on a comment from one of the men, she “felt that he wanted me to know that I would be OK if I just shut up,” and she ultimately decided not to resist, believing that “that calmness saved my life.”
The defendants on trial are mostly men in their 60s and 70s with prior criminal records, known by nicknames like “Old Omar” and “Blue Eyes.”
Aomar Ait Khedache, 68, known as “Old Omar,” admitted to tying up Kardashian but denied being the robbery’s mastermind. Another defendant, 71-year-old Yunice Abbas, later wrote a book about the heist.
Khedache, whose lawyers say is now unable to speak due to health issues, conveyed his “regret” for his actions in a letter read aloud in court, stating he was “moved and touched by your tears.” Kardashian, appearing tearful during the reading, responded, “I do appreciate the letter, for sure,” and “I’ve always believed in the second chance.”
She added, “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.”
Kardashian told the court that the Paris robbery fundamentally altered her sense of security, even at home, where she now relies on up to six security guards.
She explained that she and her family have security everywhere they go and that she no longer posts her real-time whereabouts “unless it is on a public schedule.”
Kardashian also mentioned undergoing therapy to cope with her fears because “I have babies that I have to raise,” and she is “trying to be strong.”
Addressing suggestions that the robbery might have been a publicity stunt or insurance fraud, Kardashian said those reports had been “really hurtful.” The trial is scheduled to continue until May 23.
