Kim Kardashian and the "Grandpa Robbers": The trial of the sensational robbery has opened in Paris

Paris (AFP) – "Old robbers" in the dock: The trial for the €9 million robbery of Kim Kardashian's hotel room during Fashion Week in 2016 opened Monday before the Paris Assize Court, in the absence of the influencer queen, who will testify later.

The first day of the trial was dedicated to organizational matters: the selection of jurors by drawing lots, the scheduling of the four-week trial, a summary of the facts, identification of the defendants, and calling of the civil parties.

Ten defendants, including nine men and one woman, are on trial. All of them are now free, having previously served time in pretrial detention. They are seated next to their lawyers in the courtroom of a small, fully packed hearing room.

Most of the defendants, whose criminal records are often already extensive, are around 70 years old. This unusual aspect is quickly noticeable, particularly through their white, graying, or absent hair, as well as the special arrangements made by the court.

Aomar Aït Khedache (C), one of the defendants in the Kim Kardashian robbery trial, arrives at the Paris courthouse on April 28, 2025 © Bertrand GUAY / AFP

For Aomar Ait Khedache, nicknamed "Old Omar," who turns 69 next week, the hearing is transcribed in real time by stenographers on a computer screen placed in front of him. Arriving with a cane, unable to hear or speak, he communicates by handwriting under an overhead projector that projects his words onto the screen in the courtroom. Sometimes, a simple thumbs-up is enough to indicate agreement.

As for Didier Dubreucq, nicknamed "Blue Eyes," a former boxer with a bald head and broad shoulders, the court grants him the opportunity to leave to undergo his ongoing chemotherapy. The defendant, unperturbed, assures that he will do everything possible to be present regardless.

After an hour of hearing, one of the defendants asks to rise for an urgent break. The presiding judge specifies that there are three defendants in this situation, who may leave as long as necessary.

Yunice Abbas, one of the defendants in the Kim Kardashian robbery trial, arrives at the Paris courthouse on April 28, 2025 © Bertrand GUAY / AFP

Among the defendants, Christiane Glotin, 78, stands out for her elegant and discreet appearance. Yunice Abbas, 71, expressed his desire, according to his defense, to apologize to Kim Kardashian.

Among the younger defendants, there is Gary Madar, 35, brother of Kim Kardashian's driver, accused of providing information to the group—a charge he strongly denies. Harminy Ait Khedache, 37, admits to driving his father and others near the hotel where Kim Kardashian was staying, while swearing he knew nothing about the robbery.

Finally, two defendants will not stand trial: one died in March at the age of 72, and the oldest defendant, 80, suffers from Alzheimer's disease, making him unfit to stand trial.

In Kim Kardashian's absence from the courtroom on this first day of the highly publicized trial, some 400 accredited journalists, a quarter of whom were foreigners, did not all attend.

However, the camera corridor in one of the galleries of the historic courthouse on the Île de la Cité remains very busy.Defense lawyer Joseph Hazan, as he passed the press, expressed hope that the media hype would soon give way to calm and thoughtful legal debates. He called for a shift away from the fantasies surrounding this case and toward a more ordinary case.

Abderrahmane Ouatiki (C), a civil party in the Kim Kardashian robbery trial, arrives at the Paris courthouse on April 28, 2025, with his lawyers Henri de Beauregard (L) and Mohand Ouidja (R) © Bertrand GUAY / AFP

One night in October 2016, two hooded, armed men burst into Kim Kardashian's room, demanding her €3.5 million engagement ring, given to her by Kanye West. The robbery, which lasted about ten minutes, allowed the "grandpa robbers" to make off with €9 million in loot, a record in France for the past twenty years. Part of the loot was reportedly sold in Belgium, and only a necklace lost during their escape was recovered.

This event deeply affected Kim Kardashian and Abderrahmane Ouatiki, the receptionist forced to accompany them. The accused, some of whom dispute the facts, are being questioned by the presiding judge. Aomar Ait Khedadche admits to tying up the star but denies organizing the robbery, while Yunice Abbas acknowledges his participation but denies any act of kidnapping or false imprisonment.