A Paris court has found the ringleader and seven other people guilty over the 2016 robbery of American reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
The court acquitted two of the 10 defendants.
Aomar Ait Khedache (69), the ringleader, got the stiffest sentence, eight years imprisonment – but five of those are suspended. Three others who were accused on the most serious charges got seven years, five of them suspended.
With time already served in pre-trial detention, none of those found guilty will go to prison. The trial was heard by a three-judge panel and six jurors.
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The chief judge, David De Pas, said the ages of the defendants — the oldest is 79 and some others are in their 60s and 70s — weighed on the court’s decision not to impose harsher sentences that would have sent them to jail.
He said the nine years between the robbery and the trial was also taken into account in the sentencing.
Kardashian, who was not present for the verdict, issued a statement after the ruling was announced.
“I am deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case,” she said.
“The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family. While I’ll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice, and promoting a fair legal system.”
Kardashian was attending Paris fashion week in 2016 men broke into a luxury residence in Paris, tied her up and held her hostage at gunpoint in her bedroom.
The armed, masked men, who were dressed in police jackets, escaped with jewellery worth up to an estimated €10 million. The jewels, which were never found, included a 18.88-carat diamond engagement ring given to Kardashian by her then husband, the rapper Kanye West, estimated to be worth £3 million.
The leaders of the gang, aged in their 60s and 70s, were nicknamed the “grandpa robbers” by French media.
They arrived by bike or on foot at the smart residence in central Paris and held a receptionist at gunpoint before going up to Kardashian’s room, where she had been sleeping. They tied her up and taped her mouth, and left her on the bathroom floor before escaping.
The state prosecutor, Anne-Dominique Merville, told jurors this week not to be fooled by the men’s age. She said they were seasoned criminals with previous records and prison sentences.
She said: “They were masked, wearing gloves, they were going to hold her and tie her up. They have no empathy for Kim Kardashian, for the receptionist.”
Merville said jurors, who were sitting with the panel of judges, should not to be taken in by “the reassuring wrinkles” of the accused and should remember they were charged with involvement in a violent crime.
She called it a “meticulously prepared” robbery, where “thieves” were recruited. She said: “They came for the ring, they got it. They knew exactly what they were doing.”
In court, some of the men apologised to Kardashian, who told one: “I forgive you for what has taken place, but it does not change the emotion, the feelings, the trauma and the way my life is forever changed.” - The Guardian/Associated Press
