What happened to Kim Kardashian in Paris? Celebrity to travel to Paris for $10 million heist trial

Kim Kardashian is set to travel to France in May to testify against the underground gang accused of robbing her of $10 million worth of jewelry in 2016, as reported by TMZ. Nearly a decade after the reality star was bound and held at gunpoint in her luxury hotel room in Paris, the trial is finally set to begin. French authorities indicted 12 of the 17 suspects in 2021, and the case will now be heard by a jury.

Variety reported that Kim Kardashian fell victim to an armed robbery at the Hôtel de Pourtalès during Paris Fashion Week on October 3, 2016. The thieves, disguised as police officers, restrained the concierge and forced him to give them access to Kardashian’s room.

Once inside, they tied her up, gagged her, and held her at gunpoint before stealing millions of dollars worth of jewelry, including a $4 million diamond ring gifted by her then-husband, Kanye West.

The robbers escaped by bicycle as they stole $10 million worth of valuables. After they fled, Kardashian managed to untie herself and then call for police help. The "L'Affaire Kardashian" became one of France's most high-profile criminal incidents, after it received worldwide attention to celebrity security concerns.

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Kim Kardashian to testify nearly a decade later

Kim Kardashian initially gave her testimony before a French judge in New York four months after the crime. Now, as the trial begins in Paris, she will take the stand in person. According to Page Six, she will testify about the harrowing ordeal and the lasting impact on her life.

During a 2022 interview with VICE News, Yunis Abbas, one of the alleged masterminds behind the robbery, admitted to targeting Kardashian due to her flashy social media presence.

"Since she was throwing money away, I was there to collect it, and that was that. Guilty? No, I don't care," Abbas said.

The criminal incident occurred amid a rising "home-jacking" trend across Paris, where wealthy homeowners were in their residences. Christian Sainte, a French police officer, explained that criminals increasingly shifted to personal targets after finding it harder to break into banks and armored transport vehicles.

Parisian writer Jean-Baptiste Roques described how these criminal gangs treat their victims like "sausages" in their alarming kidnapping tactics.

The robbery investigation by French police led to the arrest of 17 individuals who were connected to the crime. Legal authorities made 12 such defendants face trial proceedings in 2021. Experts anticipate that the trial will finally commence soon since Kardashian's testimony plays an essential part in the proceedings.

Following the robbery during her Paris visit, Kim Kardashian took legal action against her ex-bodyguard, Pascal Duvier, and his security firm, alleging negligence in preventing the incident. According to The Daily Mail, the case was settled for $6.1 million in 2020.

The robbery had a lasting effect on Kim Kardashian, both personally and professionally. She changed her approach to social media, avoiding real-time location updates and showcasing fewer luxury items.

In a 2021 episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, she revealed that:

"I feel like I had agoraphobia, definitely, after my robbery in Paris. I didn’t want anyone to know where I was or be seen. I just had such anxiety."

The case remains one of the most significant crimes involving a celebrity, raising awareness about the risks of sharing personal details online. With Kardashian set to testify, the trial may bring closure to an incident that changed how celebrities approach their security and public presence.