Nine years after robbery in Paris: Raid on Kim Kardashian: Prisoner for “Opa-Gangster”

The process for the attack on reality TV star Kim Kardashian in Paris offers everything a typical French crime film needs: the US star, who reported in court of fear of death and was moved to tears by the confession of a perpetrator, ganoven old blow on the dank, a missing million prey and the French capital, including the glamorous fashion week, as a backdrop.

Nine years after the spectacular robbery, a court sentenced eight defendants and acquitted two of them. Seven of the convicts received prison terms between the age of three and eight, which were subject to probation, some or completely. Another defendant was fined in the evening in Paris. The allegations against the nine men and a woman ranged from armed robbery to unauthorized gun ownership and deprivation of freedom to forgery of documents.

Masked cuffs made millions

Kardashian (44), who stayed at Fashion Week in Paris, was attacked in October 2016 in the luxury district of “No Address” in the chic 8th Parisian district. The perpetrators disguised as police officers had tied up and gagged them and captured jewelry worth nine million euros, including the star’s engagement ring with an 18.88-carat diamond.

Kardashian was able to loosen her bonds and raise the alarm. The media star was physically unharmed, but was in shock. Kardashian said in Paris in court that she was afraid that the perpetrators would rape or shoot her. “I was absolutely certain, I thought I would die,” she said. Her appearance in Paris triggered a huge media hype.

“Grandpa gangstster” on anklebank

The accused of around 60 years described the French press as “grandpa gangsters”. Many of them have spent many years behind bars and have dazzling nicknames such as “Omar, the old” (69), “Blau eye” (69) and gangster bride “Cathy” (78). One of the accused is now deaf, one suffers from Parkinson’s and another is treated for cancer.

Only two of the accused were confessed. In their last words they expressed her regret. “I’m sorry what I did,” said one, “forgive a thousand times”, the other asked. All others asserted their innocence. “I have nothing to do with the whole story,” said “Cathy”. “I was not involved in the robbery of the jewelry,” said another about his lawyer. “I didn’t drive the car,” said another defendant. “The truth is that I am not guilty,” said another.

Previous perpetrator without compassion

The prosecutor, however, all thought the accused guilty of being involved in the carefully planned attack on Kardashian, as she said in her plea. Unlike the defense, it was not a stupid senior citizen. Rather, the perpetrators mostly relevant to the relevant perpetrators were violent and determined as well as without compassion for their victim. Accordingly, she called for high penalties.

The defense spoke of a poorly sound indictment and an inflated procedure. If the victim hadn’t been Kim Kardashian, but an ordinary person, the process would have been different.

Court takes into account the age and diseases of the accused

The presiding judge said in the reasoning that the punishments were not very strictly. The age and partly also diseases of the accused were taken into account, who have not been guilty since the attack almost nine years ago.

The multi -million dollar prey has not yet been found. The investigators assume that the criminals have turned them into money in Antwerp. The main responsibility for this is said to have been “rubbing nose” (72), but this defendant died shortly before the start of the trial.