Eight elderly defendants were found guilty of robbing Kim Kardashian in her rental apartment in Paris, France in 2016.
69-year-old ringleader Aomar Ait Khedache and 7 other defendants were found guilty in a Paris court on Friday. Another defendant was found guilty of weapons charges. One person was acquitted.
Khedache was sentenced to eight years in prison, with 5 years suspended due to his advanced age.
The other defendants received suspended prison sentences due to time already served.
The senior citizens – who are in their 60s and 70s – were charged with breaking into Kardashian’s Paris rental, and tying her hands with zip ties and duct tape before fleeing with pricey jewelry. The haul included a $4 million engagement ring given to Kardashian by her then-husband rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye.
Kardashian, 44, expressed relief that the trial is over and she can return home to her four children.
“I am deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case. The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family,” Kardashian said in a statement on Friday. “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 testified during the trial and expressed her fear that she was going to die.
“I absolutely thought I was going to die,” she said through tears. “I thought about my sister, thought she would walk in and see me shot dead and have that memory in her forever.”
Kardashian’s older sister Kourtney Kardashian was in Paris, but she was not at the apartment at the time of the robbery.
On Wednesday, Kardashian announced she graduated from law school after studying as a law intern for 6 years. She does not have a law degree but she can work as a lawyer in California under a rare apprenticeship program.
California, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington state allow individuals to become lawyers without law degrees.
Kardashian can now sit for the bar exam and begin taking on clients once she passes the bar.
According to reports, Kardashian employed a team of 10 nannies 24/7 to look after her children – North, Chicago, Saint, and Psalm – while she attended the trial in Paris.
