US reality television star Kim Kardashian is to testify in person at an upcoming French trial over an armed robbery of her jewellery in Paris in 2016, her US lawyer Michael Rhodes said Monday.
A French court is from April 28 to try six people over the gem heist in October 2016 that saw masked men walk away from Kardashian’s luxurious Paris apartment with millions of dollars worth of jewels, including a diamond ring gifted by her then-husband, rapper Kanye West.
The trial is to run until May 23, and Kardashian is to appear on May 13, according to a provisional schedule.
In what has been called the biggest French holdup targeting an individual in 20 years, Kardashian was robbed of jewellery worth an estimated six million euros ($6.8 million at current rates) while she was staying at a luxury residence during Paris fashion week.
Among the suspects arrested four months later in Paris and in the south of France is Aomar Ait Khedache, known as “Old Omar”, who is thought to be the ringleader of the gang.
Two investigating magistrates ordered the suspects to stand trial by jury — which in France is reserved for the most serious crimes — on charges including armed robbery, kidnapping and membership of a criminal gang.
In the night of October 2-3, 2016, several men, some impersonating police officers, entered the hotel where Kardashian, who was then 36, was staying.
Two of the intruders put guns to her head, and one, Kardashian later told detectives, addressed her “with a very strong French accent” in English, telling her to hand over a ring she was wearing.
They then tied her up, gagged her and carried her into the bathroom.
Three men meanwhile kept watch at the reception, and one was waiting at the wheel of a getaway car.
In addition to the ring, which featured an 18.88-carat near-flawless diamond, the group made off with several more pieces of gold and diamond jewellery.
One of the alleged robbers, Yunice Abbas, fleeing the scene on a bicycle, dropped a diamond-encrusted cross worth 30,000 euros, which was found by a passer-by a few hours later.
The thieves lost a few more items while on the run, but the bulk of the bounty has never been found and is believed to have been sold in Belgium.
