Top 10 Facts about Kim Kardashian’s Robbery in Paris

Kim Kardashian in an interview for Vogue in 2021. Photo By VogueTaiwan – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Facts about Kim Kardashian’s Robbery in Paris

On October 3^rd, 2016, Hollywood celebrity and business mogul Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris, France. She had arrived in the country on September 28^th to attend the bi-annual Paris Fashion Week when the incident occurred.

Kim stayed at Hotel de Pourtales, a luxurious space often booked by the who’s who in the sports and entertainment industry. On the fateful day, she decided to remain in the hotel room as her two sisters, Kourtney and Kendall, stepped out for a few drinks at the famous Paris Nightclub, L’Arc.

1. This Was Not Kim Kardashian’s First Stay At The Scene of Crime

Hôtel de Pourtalès in 2010. Photo By Tangopaso – Wikimedia Commons

Being one of the most influential and famous women in the world, Kim Kardashian was no newbie to Paris. She had stayed in the Hotel de Pourtales several times before her robbery.

In 2014, Kim and her then-husband Kanye West sought accommodation at the premise before taking their vows in Florence, Italy.

See the most expensive Hotels in Paris on the website.

2. The Burglars From Kim Kardashian’s Robbery In Paris Were Dressed As French Policemen

Abdulrahman, the concierge at Hotel de Pourtales let the burglars into the hotel claiming he thought that they were police officers because of their clothing. The thieves were of French descent and dressed in all black.

Upon entry, the robbers had the concierge handcuffed with a gun to his head. They asked him to lead them to ‘the Rapper’s wife’. The gang had learned about Kim Kardashian via Kanye West and had been tailing her for some time.

3. Kim Kardashian Had No Security With Her At The Time Of The Robbery In Paris

Jonathan Cheban with Kim & Kourtney Kardashian in 2010. Photo By Bettina Cirone – Wikimedia Commons

After attending dinner hosted by Tunisian designer Azzedine Alaia, Kim opted to go back to the shared hotel while her sisters continued the night outside the premises. Though there was no bodyguard in sight, she was in the company of her stylist.

After the thieves broke in at around 2:00 am, her stylist heard the commotion in her room. She phoned her sisters who quickly raised the alarm and alerted their security personnel. Pascal Duvier, their bodyguard, and his team rushed to the scene while her sisters arrived later on.

4. The Robbers Escaped With Jewelry Worth 10 Million Dollars

At the time, Kim had just gotten a jewelry upgrade from her initial engagement ring. The price tag on the 20-carat designer piece was a whopping USD 4.49 million!

Narrating her tragic ordeal, Kim recalled one of the robbers asking her for her diamond ring. After they got a hold of it, they ransacked her room and were lucky enough to get other expensive ornaments that totaled around USD 5.6 million.

5. Kim Kardashian Was Immobilized During Robbery In Paris

After handing them the ring, the American celebrity mentioned that one of the robbers tied her limbs using a zip tie and handcuffs. Her mouth and eyes were also covered using duct tape.

Completely immobilized, she was laid on her hotel bed as they continued to search for other valuable items. Shortly after, she was carried from the bed and left lying on the bathroom floor before they escaped.

6. Kim Kardashian’s Robbery In Paris Took Less Than 10 Minutes To Execute

Though left physically unharmed, Kim suffered mental anguish and trauma from the robbery. She termed the ordeal as ‘7 minutes of torture’ saying she had already psychologically prepared herself for possible sexual assault at the time of the incident.

The Hollywood star reported the occurrence to the police shortly after the thieves fled. Interestingly, the Paris police chief had no idea who the celebrity was! He did, however, look her up after the 3:00 am armed robbery report.

7. She Went Into A Three-Month Hiatus After The Robbery In Paris

American rapper Kanye West and socialite Kim Kardashian. Photo By Cosmopolitan UK – Wikimedia Commons

Kim left Paris for New York on the evening of the incident. Kanye, who was performing at the Meadows Festival in New York, ended his performance mid-way after getting news of the robbery. The two went back to their apartment where they were reunited with their children, North and Saint West.

The celebrity resurfaced on a talk show after nearly 10 weeks of hiatus admitting to several anxiety attacks and post-traumatic stress. She took a much-needed break from her active social life to reevaluate her appearance in the public eye.

Read about Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Divorce settlement of the Discover Walks Columnist. 

8. The Robbery in Paris Altered Kim’s Whole Life

In a talk show interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Kim Kardashian told the host that her whole life changed after the tragic incident. She credited her newfound appreciation for her well-being and loving family to the near-death experience. 

A sobbing Kim believed that the robbery was meant to happen to her because, from that, she became less materialistic and more grounded. The celebrity has also taken personal security measures and is keen on how much jewelry she flaunts to the public.

Want to learn ten little known facts about Ellen DeGeneres, see this site.

9. Twelve People Were Charged In Connection With The Burglary Incident

Hammer in Court Ruling. Photo By Daniel Bone – Pixabay

In 2021, the case, which was taken to trial by the French government, successfully managed to charge twelve people in connection with the armed robbery. They were tried for kidnapping and forcible seizing.

The robbers had been on Kim’s radar for a little over two years waiting for an opportune time to strike. The gang leader confessed to using the celebrity’s social media posts in planning the theft.

10. The Arrested Gang Member Of Kim Kardashian’s Robbery in Paris Had No Regret For Committing The Heist

In 2019, Yunis Abbas, one of the members of the gang, was arrested in connection to the burglary. He took watch downstairs as the other two executed the theft.

Abbas had no remorse for the celebrity and said that Kim had it coming. He said her flashy jewelry posts on her social pages made her an easy target. Yunis added that Kim wasted an unreasonable amount of money on materialistic items.

Abbas served two years in prison and was released in 2021. He sought to monetize his fame and is now the author of the book, I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian (2021).

Learn ten fascinating facts about Kim Kardashian here.