Credited from: INDEPENDENT
Kim Kardashian took the stand in Paris to testify about the harrowing events of October 2-3, 2016, when she was robbed at gunpoint in her hotel room during Fashion Week. Wearing a black suit, Kardashian expressed gratitude to the French authorities for allowing her to testify, saying, "Hi! I'm Kim Kardashian and I just want to thank everyone." Her testimony detailed how masked men stormed her room, zip-tied her hands, and threatened her life, stating, "I absolutely did think I was going to die," according to latimes and abcnews.
Kardashian's testimony, described as emotionally charged, highlighted the trauma that reshaped her life and altered her perception of safety, as she recounted praying for her family's well-being during the ordeal. "I have babies... take everything. I need to live!" she pleaded with the robbers, according to her childhood friend and stylist, Simone Harouche, who testified about hearing Kardashian's cries from another room, as reported by huffpost and lemonde.
The trial has garnered significant media attention, with close to 500 journalists accredited for the proceedings, highlighting Kardashian’s status as a global figure. The ten defendants, mainly in their 60s and 70s, are referred to as the “grandpa robbers” by the French press, and face charges including robbery and kidnapping. Kardashian reported that their actions, driven by information gleaned from her social media, transformed her into a cautionary example of celebrity pitfalls, as noted in nytimes and cbsnews.
During her account of the robbery, Kardashian recounted the intruders demanding her expensive jewelry, including a diamond ring valued at over $4 million given by her then-husband Kanye West. She expressed the trauma of that night and how it continues to affect her. "It really changed everything for us," she said regarding her security measures post-incident, now relying on several guards, according to reports from scmp and independent.
Kardashian addressed the impact of her public persona on the perception of her victimization, recalling the criticism she received for publicly sharing her life through social media. "I never thought in my wildest dreams that me posting something would be an invitation for someone to come and take something," she reflected. Her story sheds light on the intersection of celebrity, security, and media scrutiny in today's world, as detailed by huffpost and lemonde.