One of the suspects involved in the 2016 armed robbery of Kim Kardashian expressed regret for the trauma he caused her during the trial that began recently in Paris. Nearly nine years after the incident, Yunice Abbas, now 72, acknowledged the impact of his actions as he took the stand in a case involving ten individuals charged in connection with the high-profile heist, which resulted in the theft of over $10 million in jewelry.
The robbery occurred during Paris Fashion Week, marking it as one of the largest individual heists in the city’s recent history. Abbas, who was the first defendant to testify, stated, “I regret it, not because I got caught, but because … there was a trauma.” This statement came as he reflected on the events of that night when Kardashian was bound, gagged, and held at gunpoint in her apartment.
Abbas had previously admitted his involvement in a book published in 2021, titled "I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian." He claimed he was not the one who tied her up and insisted that he acted as a lookout during the robbery. He stated that he was unarmed and did not directly threaten Kardashian, although he accepted his share of responsibility for the crime.
According to Abbas, after the robbery, he received a bag of stolen jewelry from his accomplices and attempted to escape on a bicycle. However, he fell when the bag got caught in the wheel, spilling its contents. The only piece of jewelry recovered from the robbery was a diamond-encrusted cross found by a passerby the following day.
During his testimony, Abbas mentioned that he did not know Kardashian’s identity at the time of the robbery. He only learned who she was after seeing news reports the next morning. He described his past criminal activities, including a bank robbery in Belgium, and shared that he turned to crime due to financial pressures and negative influences from friends.
Kardashian, now 44, is expected to testify in person during the trial, which is set to continue until May 23. Her lawyers indicated she would speak on May 13. In her earlier accounts, Kardashian described the terrifying moments when the robbers entered her apartment, threatening her and demanding valuables. She has shared that she feared for her life during the ordeal.
The trial is notable not only for its high-profile nature but also for the ages of the defendants, who have been referred to as the “grandpa robbers” by local media. Among those charged are the alleged ringleader, Aomar Aït Khedache, and his son, who is accused of being the getaway driver. The trial will address the roles each defendant played in the robbery and the impact of their actions on Kardashian.