TRIAL BEGINS OVER 2016 GUNPOINT ROBBERY OF KIM KARDASHIAN IN PARIS

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Agency Report

On Monday, ten suspects will stand trial in Paris for the 2016 heist of American superstar Kim Kardashian, in which jewellery valued at approximately $10 million was taken from the influencer and reality TV star.

Kardashian, aged 44, is scheduled to testify at the trial on May 13 in a court appearance that will be a significant event in and of itself. Kardashian departed Paris devastated hours after the robbery on the evening of October 2-3, 2016.

Most of the men on trial are in their 60s and 70s, have criminal histories, and have underworld monikers like “Old Omar” and “Blue Eyes”, which are reminiscent of the classic French bandits from the 1960s and 1970s movie noirs.

Kardashian, who was 35 at the time, was restrained with her mouth taped shut and threatened with a gun to the head. In the last 20 years, this was the largest heist in France against a private individual.

The trial will also look into how the criminals found out where Kardashian was staying during Paris Fashion Week and chose the exact moment when her bodyguard wasn’t there to go out to a club with her sister Kourtney.

It is believed that the criminals’ activities may have been made easier by Kardashian’s frequent updates about her money, personal life, and locations. The trial will begin at 12:30 GMT.

After riding a bicycle to the upscale hotel in central Paris, where the star was staying, two masked and armed men barged into her room at around three in the morning.

They yelled that they wanted her now-ex-husband, US rapper Kayne West, to give them the diamond engagement ring.

It was worth $4 million (3.5 million euros), and Kardashian had been flaunting it on her social media accounts.

They stole the ring along with ten million dollars’ worth of jewellery.

A diamond necklace that was dropped in the street as the robbers fled was the sole object found.

It was all over in ten minutes, and despite being warned, Kardashian’s security came to his client’s aid.

The suspects were arrested three months after the robbery, through DNA evidence.

But the gold seized was apparently melted down and investigators, who took hundreds of thousands of euros from the suspects when they were arrested, believe that much of the stolen haul was sold in Belgium.

Twelve suspects were charged, with 10 going on trial from Monday. One died in March this year and another is to be tried separately for health reasons.

“It wasn’t a major armed robbery” but an “easy” heist, said the main suspect, Aomar Ait Khedache, 68, known as “Old Omar”. His DNA from the scene helped investigators find him and the co-defendants.

He admitted tying up Kardashian, but disputes investigators’ claims that he was the mastermind behind the robbery.

He says he was approached by an unnamed “sponsor” who suggested the scheme on behalf of an “informant” very close to the star, who then gave them the green light.

According to his lawyer, Khedache now has severe hearing and speaking problems and can only express himself in writing.

Another key suspect is Didier Dubreucq, 69, known as “Blue Eyes”, accused of being the second person who stormed into Kardashian’s room. He denies the charges.

Yunice Abbas, 71, meanwhile stayed in the lobby while the two other men went up to her room, it is alleged.

He controversially sought to capitalise on the crime by writing a book titled: “I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian”.

Others on trial are accused of being facilitators and informants, including Gary Madar, the brother of Kardashian’s long-serving Paris driver.

He is accused of supplying information about her movements, which he denies.

Despite the “media hype”, the trial “must allow for calm debates”, warned one of the defence lawyers, Margot Pugliese.

The trial is due to last until May 23.

AFP