Kim Kardashian has released a statement following the conclusion of a trial for members of a robbery team who lifted millions in diamonds off her in 2016. Following their conviction, Kardashian recalled the moment as “the most terrifying experience” of her life.
“The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family,” Kim said in a statement to Hollywood Unlocked. “While I’ll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice, and promoting a fair legal system.”
Nearly a decade after the billionaire Kim Kardashian was the victim of a headline-making armed robbery in Paris, justice has finally caught up with the culprits. Eight of the ten individuals accused of orchestrating the high-stakes heist that left the reality star shaken and stripped of over $10 million in jewelry have been found guilty, according to TMZ. Two of the suspects were acquitted.
Get this, the wild 2016 robbery stunned the world and marked a turning point in Kardashian’s public persona and relationship with fame. The SKIMS mogul recently returned to the French capital to testify against the group responsible for one of the most audacious celebrity crimes in recent memory. During Paris Fashion Week, Kardashian was reportedly tied up and held at gunpoint inside her hotel suite by masked men disguised as police officers.
At the center of the case is Aomar Ait Kedache, known in underworld circles as “Old Omar.” Identified as the ringleader, the 69-year-old received an eight-year sentence, though five of those years were suspended. Three other individuals were handed seven-year sentences, each of which was partially suspended. Due to time already served in pretrial detention, none of the convicted will be heading back to jail.
Slap on the wrist, no?
In total, the trial brought ten defendants to court: nine men and one woman. Four of the men had been facing potential 10-year terms, while the others were charged as accessories and risked between six and eight years behind bars. French authorities had moved swiftly after the robbery, arresting all suspects within months of the incident.
Kim Kardashian delivered a testimony, recalling being held at gunpoint during a Paris robbery. Kardashian stated she was in a bathrobe, zip-tied and mouth taped, while fearing rape or murder during the jewelry robbery.
“I was certain that was the moment that he was going to rape me,” Kardashian said. “I absolutely did think I was going to die.”
Kardashian was in town for Paris Fashion Week and thought the men entering her suite were her sisters returning from a night out. According to The AP, she was instead met by masked men who stormed the room, prevented her from calling for help, and pressed a gun to her.
Kardashian recalled telling the men, “I have to make it home. They can take everything. I just have to make it home.”
A man told her she would be fine if she remained quiet. She was locked in the bathroom as the men made off with $6 million in jewelry. The men were believed to find Kardashian through pictures and geotags, arriving at her hotel disguised as police officers and forcing a concierge upstairs in handcuffs.