**Kim Kardashian Testifies in Paris Heist Trial: ‘I Absolutely Thought I Was Going to Die’**
American reality television star Kim Kardashian has spoken out in a Paris court, giving harrowing testimony about the night she endured a violent armed robbery in her hotel suite. The incident, which took place in 2016 during Paris Fashion Week, saw Kardashian threatened at gunpoint and robbed of millions of pounds’ worth of jewellery in a crime that shook the global fashion community.
Describing the ordeal to the French court, Kardashian recalled the terror she felt as one of the robbers pulled her towards him, while she wore only a bathrobe. “I was certain that was the moment he was going to rape me,” she recounted, her voice breaking as she revisited one of the most traumatic episodes of her life. “I absolutely did think I was going to die,” she told the judges, confronting for the first time the men accused of masterminding the attack.
Kardashian’s testimony forms the emotional crux of a trial that has gripped public attention in France. The accused, largely in their sixties and seventies, have been labelled by French media as “the grandpa robbers” (les papys braqueurs), a moniker highlighting both the audacity and the unexpected age of the alleged perpetrators. Authorities allege that the group tracked Kardashian’s movements using her prolific Instagram presence—underscoring the risks of fame in the digital age.
In statements earlier in the proceedings, Kardashian’s former stylist and childhood friend, Simone Harouche, spoke movingly of her own terror during the break-in. Harouche was staying in the same two-floor hotel suite as Kardashian and testified to hearing her friend plead desperately with the assailants. “I have babies and I need to live,” Kardashian screamed, according to Harouche. “Take everything. I need to live.”
Such moments left a lasting mark, Harouche told the court. She expressed concern that the event had robbed Kardashian of a basic sense of safety. “She now has a completely different lifestyle,” Harouche explained. “In terms of security, she can’t go anywhere alone. She doesn’t go to places by herself anymore. To lose your sense of freedom – it’s horrible.”
The trial has re-ignited debate about the heightened vulnerabilities public figures face, particularly as social media can unwittingly expose them to additional risks. During cross-examination, the lead judge inquired if Kardashian’s habit of posting photographs with valuable jewellery had contributed to her becoming a target. Harouche firmly rejected this idea, likening it to blaming a woman’s attire for an assault: “Just because a woman wears jewellery, that doesn’t make her a target.”
Of the twelve suspects originally charged, one has since died and another is absent due to illness. The majority, authorities say, form an experienced and efficient criminal gang. Two have already admitted being present during the heist, but several others deny any involvement, with one even claiming ignorance of Kardashian’s identity.
Nonetheless, police investigators contend that the group’s operation was made easier by Kardashian’s posts on social media, revealing not only her location but intimate details about her schedule and possessions. This aspect of the case has reignited concerns about privacy, celebrity security, and the unforeseen dangers of constant online exposure.
Kardashian’s willingness to face her alleged attackers in court, according to her lawyers, demonstrates her determination to find closure and challenge those responsible. Her testimony, saturated with emotion and punctuated by her pleas for survival, has brought a deeply human dimension to a crime often discussed in sensational headlines.
The Paris fashion heist is often cited as a turning point in how celebrities approach personal safety and public sharing. For Kardashian, the experience has led to a dramatic overhaul of her lifestyle—trading the visible trappings of wealth for a quieter, more cautious existence.
As proceedings continue, the trial remains a subject of broad public fascination, highlighting not only the enduring trauma suffered by Kardashian but also the shifting nature of privacy and security in an age driven by social media connectivity. The court’s ultimate verdict will be closely watched, setting potential precedents for both legal and personal protection in the digital era.