Kim Kardashian’s Heart-Stopping Testimony in Paris Robbery Trial

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After almost nine years since the armed robbery incident in Paris, it’s Kim Kardashian‘s turn to appear in court.

On May 13, Kim Kardashian West, accompanied by her mother Kris Jenner, took the stand during the robbery trial, describing an incident that occurred at the No Address Hotel in October 2016. She testified about masked individuals breaking into her room and tying her up and gagging her. They then placed her in a bathtub before making off with approximately $10 million worth of jewelry.

In the list of items taken away was a diamond ring, valued at approximately $4.5 million, which had been given by Kanye West (former husband), as well as a luxury jewelry box priced at $5.6 million.

Kim shared with the court, as reported by BBC, “I visited Paris for Fashion Week, and I’ve always adored this city immensely. It has always felt secure…I would often pause at small hotels for hot cocoa, it was enchanting. However, during my trip for Fashion Week, everything took a different turn.

Kim, with tears streaming down her face, recounted that the evening when uninvited guests invaded her hotel, she distinctly remembered observing individuals whom she assumed to be police officers forcibly escorting the receptionist, who was restrained with handcuffs, towards her room.

She also stated that the robbers repeatedly asked for the “ring.”

She stated, “I was still so stunned, as there had been numerous terrorist incidents globally, and we were discussing world events. I failed to grasp the situation at hand, and despite them explicitly asking for my ring, I didn’t realize it was related to my jewelry.

In November of 2021, twelve individuals were charged by two judges for their involvement in a case. According to a judicial source who spoke with TopMob News, the charges against these defendants include robbery using a weapon as part of an organized gang; kidnapping and unlawful confinement; or criminal association. The New York Times reported, quoting the court, that one defendant passed away before the trial’s scheduled start date on April 28, and another is currently too sick to stand trial.

Previously, Kim had recounted a spine-tingling event that occurred on an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians dated March 2017. She shared this unsettling story with her sisters Khloe and Kourtney, with the latter being in Paris at the time. Kim described feeling drowsy in bed when she heard rapid footsteps ascending the stairs.

Initially, I assumed it was Kourtney and Stephanie Shepherd returning from a nightclub. Yet, upon calling out to them without getting a reply, my heart began to tighten with unease.

At that moment, Kim observed two men in police uniforms keeping another man pinned down, from a gap in her door. (Later on, she discovered this was the hotel’s concierge who had been handcuffed and held a key to her room. He would eventually assist as a translator between her and the robbers.)

She shared with her sisters, “I accidentally fell off my bed, got my phone, and thought, ‘I’m not sure how to dial 9-1-1 if I’m in another country.’ Additionally, I attempted to reach my security guard who happened to be out with Kourtney. But suddenly, the man entered, snatched the phone from me, tossed me onto the bed, and I exclaimed, ‘This is it.’

At that moment, Kim noticed two men in police attire, apparently restraining another man, through a fissure in her door. (Later on, Kim recognized this was the hotel’s concierge, who had been handcuffed and held the key to her room; he would eventually act as an intermediary between her and the robbers.)

She shared with her sisters, “I accidentally fell off my bed, grabbed my phone, and thought to myself, ‘How do I dial 9-1-1 in another country?’ Unfortunately, my security guard was out with Kourtney at the time. But then, this man entered, snatched the phone from me, pushed me onto the bed, and I exclaimed, ‘This is the end.’

In the midst of a distressing situation, Kim pleaded with the intruders to spare her life, pointing out that she had young children waiting for her at home.

At that point, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were the parents of North West and Saint West. Afterward, this previous duo added Chicago West and Psalm West to their family before their separation in 2021.

Following her restraint using handcuffs, zip ties, and tape over her mouth and eyes, Kim was initially put into a bathtub, later transferred to the floor, just before the burglars made their escape.

On a 2018 episode of his talk show, Kim expressed to Alec Baldwin that for about a year she had felt as though she had lost herself. She no longer had the drive to get up and work like she once did, and it left her feeling shaken.

Kim expressed her gratitude for the experience, stating, “Though it was awful and I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through it, this ordeal has transformed me profoundly. Now, I feel reconnected with myself, able to apply makeup again and start the healing process.

Following her capture, Kim was bound using handcuffs, zip ties, and tape over her mouth and eyes. She was subsequently placed inside a bathtub, later transferred onto the floor, just as the thieves made their escape.

Kim shared that for over a year she felt like she had lost her identity,” Kim said during an episode of Alec Baldwin’s old talk show in 2018. “I didn’t feel inspired to get out of bed and work as I once did. It really rattled me.

Kim expressed her gratitude for the experience, stating, “Although it was a terrible ordeal that I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through, it has profoundly transformed me. Now, I feel I am regaining my identity and can apply makeup again, allowing me to continue healing.

Keep reading for more details on Kim’s robbery.

Following the armed robbery that occurred on October 3, 2016, in Paris, Kim Kardashian abstained from sharing personal content on her social media accounts until January of the following year. This hiatus, it so happens, aligned neatly with promotional activities for the upcoming season of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”, which premiered in March 2017 and included Kim’s initial public comments about the incident.

During that temporary period when she was collaborating with Parisian officials, she decided to speak up publicly about her family’s long-standing TopMob TV series.

Speaking with Kourtney Kardashian, who was staying in a shared room with Kim during their trip but wasn’t present when the robbery happened, and Khloe Kardashian, Kim reminisced about lying in bed wearing a robe, momentarily dozing off as she contemplated getting up to clean her face.

After that, she could hear footsteps ascending the staircase heading towards her room. Assuming it was Kourtney and her friend returning under the influence, she shouted out to them.

At that point without an answer, Kim explained in a private commentary, her heart became noticeably tightened, much like a tied-up knot in your stomach. She found herself questioning, ‘What’s happening, what’s happening?’ She had a sense that something wasn’t quite as it should be.

Peeking through her partly ajar door, she spotted individuals she initially believed to be police officers restraining another man. However, it was later revealed that this individual was actually the building’s concierge.

A few moments passed and Kim discovered she was unfamiliar with calling emergency services abroad. Shortly after, a man dressed like a police officer entered, confiscated her phone, and forcefully pushed her onto the bed.

She shared with her sisters, “I exclaimed, ‘This is the moment!'” She remembered thinking, “It’s heart-wrenching to even contemplate, but it seemed as though they would either betray me by shooting me from behind, or if I somehow survived and they didn’t, there was no escape route.

Of the jewelry she lost, “It’s all replaceable, none of it matters.”

Before the March 19 episode premiered, Kim explained sharing her story in this way.

She expressed on Instagram that tonight’s episode will be particularly challenging for her, accompanying a final family photo from Paris featuring herself, Kourtney, Kendall Jenner, and mom Kris Jenner. She felt it necessary to share this personal account from her perspective, rather than through an interview where her words could potentially be distorted. Having always been open about her life, she won’t hesitate to share this experience, which has been one of the most transformative for her. She wouldn’t wish this encounter on anyone but has gained valuable insights and feels incredibly grateful to be safely home with her family. To her friends, loved ones, and family, she cannot thank you enough for being there during her toughest times. To the French police, she expresses her heartfelt appreciation for their tireless efforts.

Kim expressed surprise during a May 2017 episode of KUWTK, stating she hadn’t anticipated the apprehension of the robbers. She thought so much time had passed since the incident in January and underestimated the French police’s determination and the hard work they were putting into their investigation.

She continued, ‘Learning about all the individuals involved and listening to all the details gave me a new understanding and sense of security.’

In the end, a total of 12 individuals faced charges, and out of them, 10 proceeded to trial in May 2025. Regrettably, one of the accused had passed away before the trial, while another was found unfit to participate due to illness.

Kim shared on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ in April 2017 that it seemed odd but she believed that event was destined for her. She stated that she has transformed significantly since then and feels life events serve as valuable lessons. Earlier, she admits to being materialistic, but now she’s content with the person she is today and proud that her children see this version of her. Material possessions no longer hold the same appeal they once did.

The woman, known for showcasing her jewelry, even taking it all to Paris during a trip, now says, “I’m no longer that person.

Kim mentioned to Ellen DeGeneres that she wish there had been a security guard stationed outside her door around the clock when she was traveling,” Kim said, confessing that she hadn’t given it much thought before, “but now I have several of them just so I can sleep peacefully at night.

Kim stayed away from the City of Light until June 2018, but she went back to Paris in that month with her then-husband Kanye West to attend a fashion show by their friend Virgil Abloh. This was his first show since he had been appointed as the artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton.

Kim contemplated aloud to Khloe and Kourtney before the journey: “Though I’m quite anxious, I believe it’s crucial that Kanye wants us to go. It seems like the appropriate decision for Virgil.

In a heartfelt monologue during an episode of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” she shared, “I have a multitude of cherished memories from Paris. I truly wish that this journey will be exceptional enough to remind me of all the enchanting aspects of Paris, which made Kanye and I fall in love with it.

After returning to Los Angeles, Kim confided in her siblings that she had been feeling somewhat anxious during the trip, but overall, she was managing to keep a relatively positive outlook on things.

“It was so good,” she said. “Like, honestly, I’m so glad we went.”

After the robbery, Kim might have discovered a sense of purpose and understanding, and she reorganized her priorities accordingly. However, it’s undeniable that this ordeal was incredibly terrifying for her.

She admitted on an October 2019 episode of Felony Files that it was the most terrifying experience she’s ever had in her entire life. She described feeling as though she was about to die, preparing herself for the moment when they would shoot and kill her. Those ten minutes fundamentally altered her life.

In October 2020, on an episode of “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” Kim shared more about her personal experiences with David Letterman.

According to Kim, two men in masks were speaking French forcefully at her, causing her to suddenly sit up. They repeatedly demanded “The ring, the ring,” which left her quite bewildered. Eventually, she understood they wanted her engagement ring, which was beside the bed. So, she handed over the ring, and he seized her. At that moment, she was wearing a robe without anything underneath.

Blinking back tears, Kim added, “I don’t want to ruin my makeup.”

Kim went on to explain that he had seized her and dragged her close, but she was undressed. So, she mentally braced herself, thinking, ‘This is it, I’m about to be raped. I just need to endure it, it’s going to happen, I need to prepare myself.’ And so she did, only to find herself bound with handcuffs, zip ties, and then covered in duct tape, over her mouth and eyes.

Prior to concealing her eyes, Kim exclaimed, “I noticed he’d located my entire jewelry box and waved it around triumphantly, saying something like, ‘Got it!’ It left me uncertain about the man [who’d coerced the concierge to open her door with a gun], and I was thinking, ‘What on earth is going on? Are we in danger? Just let them know I have kids, I have infants, I have a spouse, I have a family. For goodness’ sake, tell them to take whatever they want! I won’t say I saw anything, just take everything!’

In a harrowing situation where a gun was aimed at me, I found myself lost in thoughts about Kourtney. The terrifying thought that I might not make it home and leave her traumatized for life if she found me lifeless in our shared room, was overwhelming. Even as we slept side by side on her bed, I felt my fate was sealed in this instance.

However, referring to the man who was unarmed, she went on to say, “He repeatedly said ‘If you stay quiet, you’ll be okay.’

“He could hardly speak English,” Kim added, “but I was like, ‘Okay, is he giving me a signal?’”

Kim jokingly mentioned that she’s watched every CSI episode available, explaining how she attempted to mentally capture an image of her attacker to provide to the police, but she couldn’t hold onto the details.

Following her being bound, Kim recounted, “He lifted me up and placed me in a bathtub. Afterward, he picked me up once more and merely set me down on the floor before fleeing.

In an episode of “The Kardashians”, Kim mentioned that since she was robbed in Paris, she hasn’t been purchasing jewelry. This comment was made after Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana gave her a beautiful cross necklace as a token of appreciation for her work as the creative director of their 2023 Spring-Summer show. Kim stated that she hasn’t felt much inclination towards wearing jewelry since it was stolen from her, as the experience was more impactful than she anticipated and made her ready to let go of it.

She explained, ‘The necklace wasn’t just about receiving a diamond cross pendant for me. It restored a touch of my elegance, which is why it’s particularly significant as it was retrieved from a deeply memorable event.’

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2025-05-13 15:18