The Infamous "Grandpa Robbers" Trial: Kim Kardashian’s 2016 Paris Heist Revisited

Sat Feb 07 2026 02:23:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A court case involving the notorious "grandpa robbers," accused of robbing Kim Kardashian at gunpoint in 2016, begins as details emerge about their botched heist and its aftermath.

The trial of alleged accomplices involved in the 2016 robbery of Kim Kardashian in Paris has commenced, highlighting the blunders made by the perpetrators—dubbed the "grandpa robbers"—who were largely unaware of their high-profile victim. As Kardashian prepares to testify, the court case revisits a heist that resulted in $10 million worth of stolen jewelry and a series of mistakes leading to their arrest.

The morning after the heist, burglar Yunice Abbas went home to catch up on some sleep. When he woke up, his wife was glued to the TV. The headline news of the day was that American reality TV star Kim Kardashian, then 35, had been tied up and robbed at gunpoint in a luxury Paris apartment. All her jewellery - worth about $10m (£7.5m), and including the engagement ring her then-husband and rapper Kanye West gifted her, which alone was worth $4m (£3m) - had been taken.

Yunice Abbas' wife glared at him. "This has you written all over it," she grumbled. She was right. The 62-year-old had dabbled in crime his whole life, from petty offences to bank heists. The Kardashian robbery, he later wrote in a memoir, was going to be his last job before retirement. But a series of blunders meant the heist was doomed from the start, leading to Abbas and several accomplices being arrested in early 2017, just three months post-robbery.

Now, ten of them will appear in court in Paris for a trial expected to last just under three weeks. Out of those, five are accused of taking part in the heist, while six face charges for being accessories to the crime. French media amusingly dubbed them the "grandpa robbers" as most were born in the 1950s. Abbas and another accomplice, Aomar Ait Khedache, aged 68, have confessed, while the others have not. Notably, one has since passed away, and another, aged 81, will be excused due to advanced dementia.

The robbery occurred on the night between October 2 and 3, 2016, when Abbas and four accomplices staked out Kardashian's suite in Hotel de Pourtalès, in Paris's upscale Madeleine neighborhood. Around 3 AM, they burst into the hotel entrance, impersonating police officers and brandishing a weapon, and subsequently took the night receptionist, Abderrahmane Ouatiki, hostage, coercing him to guide them to Kardashian's room.

Kardashian was resting after attending Paris Fashion Week when the intruders confronted her. She attempted to call 911, not realizing the number wouldn't work in France, and while trying to contact her security guard, the men entered her room. They threatened Kardashian, demanding her ring, and while a language barrier complicated communications, they ultimately bound her with zip ties and duct tape before fleeing the scene.

When the news of the robbery broke, Abbas's understanding expanded as he glimpsed the television. It was highlighted extensively in the media, surprising him as he realized who their victim was. The thieves made critical errors in their planning, underestimating police investigation techniques. Additionally, while several items were lost in the heist, including a diamond-encrusted necklace that a passer-by unknowingly wore to work, police tracked the suspects through DNA found at the crime scene.

As the trial unfolds, it will explore the intricacies of how the group learned about Kardashian's whereabouts and schedule, with some alleging that an insider fed them that information. The luxurious lifestyle of Kardashian contrasted starkly with the lives of the elderly robbers, who failed to grasp the implications of their crime against a global icon.

Kim Kardashian, now a changed figure post-robbery, with a heightened focus on security, is expected to testify during the trial, marking her first appearance in court since the incident. Abbas expressed concerns that Kardashian’s celebrity status might unduly influence the judges. Yet, he admits he is ready for the potential consequences of his actions.