Prosecutors in France have urged a court to sentence Aomar Aït Khedache, the main suspect in the 2016 robbery of Kim Kardashian in a Paris hotel, to 10 years in prison. The request came on Wednesday, May 21, following a trial where the reality TV star testified about the ordeal.
Kardashian, in a highly publicized court appearance, stated that she feared for her life during the robbery, where masked men stole approximately $10 million in jewelry from her at gunpoint. Despite the “trauma,” she expressed forgiveness towards the suspects, most of whom are in their 60s and 70s and have been dubbed the “Grandpa robbers” by French media.
Prosecutor Anne-Dominique Merville told the court that despite eight of the ten accused proclaiming their innocence, she believes they are all guilty. She emphasized their lack of empathy for Kardashian and the hotel receptionist, noting their intent to sequester and tie them up.
The prosecutor requested a 10-year sentence for Aït Khedache, whom she alleges was the mastermind behind the robbery. While Khedache admitted to tying up Kardashian, he denies being the ringleader. The prosecutor stated that Khedache, 69, gave orders, recruited others, and traveled to Belgium to sell the stolen jewelry.
The attackers threatened Kardashian with a gun, tied her up, and taped her mouth before making off with valuables, including a diamond ring given to her by then-husband Kanye West, valued at €3.5 million ($3.9 million). Most of the stolen items have not been recovered.
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None of the accused are currently in detention, and they are seeking to avoid imprisonment. The charges of armed robbery and kidnapping carry potential sentences of up to 30 years. While the prosecution is not expected to seek such lengthy terms, they may request that some of the accused be immediately taken into custody due to the severity of the crime.
The court must also consider the health conditions of several key defendants. Yunice Abbas, 71, who wrote a book about the robbery and previously underwent heart surgery while in pretrial detention, suffers from Parkinson’s disease. Aït Khedache is deaf, virtually mute, and requires frequent bathroom breaks due to a medical condition.
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