A group of men dubbed the “grandpa robbers” will face trial next week in Paris, accused of stealing millions of dollars’ worth of jewelry from reality TV star Kim Kardashian during the 2016 Paris Fashion Week heist. The trial will involve 10 individuals, including men in their 70s, and is expected to last nearly a month.

Kim Kardashian, who was held at gunpoint during the robbery, is set to travel to Paris to provide evidence against the defendants. The suspects allegedly forced their way into Kardashian’s luxury apartment, wearing ski masks and clothing resembling police uniforms. Once inside, they bound Kardashian and demanded her $4 million engagement ring, given to her by her then-husband Kanye West (now known as Ye), along with other valuable jewels.

The Robbery in Detail

The theft occurred in the early hours of October 3, 2016, when three of the men entered the building pretending to be police officers, threatening the concierge at gunpoint. The concierge was then forced to lead the robbers to Kardashian’s suite, where the men tied her up. Kardashian, left alone in the room, later recalled fearing for her life. In an interview with David Letterman in 2020, she recounted the terrifying moment when the robbers kept demanding “the ring” while she feared for her safety.

Despite the traumatic nature of the crime, Kardashian was unharmed. Her bodyguard, who had been accompanying her sister Kourtney to a nightclub, was absent during the heist.

Trial and Charges

Five of the accused face charges of armed robbery and kidnapping, while others are charged with complicity or possession of weapons. The case will be heard in the French criminal court, where Kardashian’s legal team emphasized her wish for the trial to proceed with respect for all parties involved. Her lawyer stated that Kardashian would not comment publicly before giving her testimony in court.

Among the accused is Yunice Abbas, a 71-year-old man who has admitted his role in the robbery. Abbas, a former prisoner who struggled financially, claimed he was unaware the target was a celebrity’s jewelry. He said he was told the heist involved a valuable diamond, though he didn’t know it belonged to Kardashian. After the robbery, Abbas and his accomplices fled on bicycles, with some jewels falling off during Abbas’ fall.

The Investigation

DNA traces found on plastic bands used to tie Kardashian helped French police identify and arrest the suspects in January 2017. Abbas has denied being the mastermind behind the heist and claimed he had no knowledge that the robbers would use weapons during the crime.

The trial is set to shed light on the shocking robbery that rattled the celebrity world, leaving Kardashian deeply shaken but ultimately unharmed.