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A Paris court on Friday found the mastermind and seven other individuals guilty in the 2016 armed robbery of Kim Kardashian but stopped short of sending any of them to prison. The decision marked the end of a long-awaited trial nearly nine years after the high-profile heist.
Aomar Aït Khedache, identified as the ringleader, received the heaviest sentence—eight years, with five suspended. Three others were handed seven-year terms, also with five suspended. None of the convicted will return to prison due to time already served and the court’s consideration of their advanced age.
Two of the ten accused were acquitted. The remaining received varying degrees of penalties, including fines.
The court cited multiple mitigating factors, including the ages of the accused—most of whom are in their sixties and seventies—and the lengthy delay between the crime and trial. Chief judge David De Pas acknowledged that Kardashian had suffered “fear and harm,” but said the punishments reflected the broader context.
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Kardashian was not present in court but issued a statement thanking French authorities. She described the robbery as the “most terrifying experience” of her life and stressed its lasting emotional impact. “While I’ll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability,” she said.
The robbers, dubbed “les papys braqueurs” by French media, carried out the heist during Paris Fashion Week in October 2016. Disguised as police officers, they stormed Kardashian’s hotel suite, tied her up, and escaped with millions in jewellery. Only one item—a diamond-studded cross—was ever recovered.
The key break in the case came from DNA on the zip ties used to bind Kardashian. Khedache’s wiretapped conversations also helped reveal the extent of his involvement.
During the trial, Kardashian testified about the traumatic night. “I absolutely did think I was going to die,” she told the court. After being tied and threatened at gunpoint, she eventually escaped by scraping the tape off her wrists.
Since the robbery, Kardashian has significantly altered her public behaviour, avoiding real-time social media posts and reducing displays of wealth. The incident prompted a wider shift in how celebrities manage their public lives, with privacy becoming a new form of protection.
Khedache expressed remorse in a handwritten note to the court, asking for “a thousand pardons.” Other defendants also offered apologies in their final statements.
While the court ruling brings legal closure, the emotional weight of the crime continues to resonate—both for Kardashian and the wider culture that watched her showroom life suddenly turn into a scene of fear.
