Nearly nine years after a terrifying night in Paris changed her life, Kim Kardashian has returned to the city—not for Fashion Week, but to face the men accused of holding her at gunpoint during a now-infamous robbery that made global headlines.
On Tuesday, Kardashian, now 44, took the stand in a Paris courtroom, describing in emotional detail what she believed would be the final moments of her life.
“I absolutely did think I was going to die,” she testified. “I was certain that was the moment he was going to rape me.”
The SKIMS founder recalled shouting to the robbers, “I have babies,” in a desperate plea for mercy. Her mother, Kris Jenner, and attorney Michael Rhodes were by her side as she delivered her testimony in front of the accused—dubbed the “grandpa robbers” due to their age.
The 2016 robbery, which shocked the world, saw intruders disguised as police officers break into Kardashian’s luxury apartment at the No Address Hotel. She was tied up, gagged, and placed in a bathtub while the thieves made off with over $10 million in jewelry, including her $4 million engagement ring from then-husband Kanye West.
More than 17 people were arrested in connection with the case after investigators recovered DNA evidence from plastic ties used to restrain her. The trial, officially ordered in 2021, now includes 12 defendants, with 10 standing trial this week—five for armed robbery and kidnapping, and others for assisting in the heist.
“It was the scariest thing I’ve ever been through in my entire life,” Kardashian said previously during a 2019 episode of Felony Files. “That 10 minutes really changed my whole life.”
In court, she thanked French authorities for the opportunity to “share my truth,” and expressed appreciation for their professionalism. Her lawyer echoed those sentiments in a statement: “Kim has tremendous admiration for the French judicial system and hopes the trial proceeds with fairness and respect for all parties.”
Photos from the courtroom showed Kardashian in an all-black ensemble, walking into the courthouse with her mother. It marked one of the most high-profile moments in a trial that blends celebrity, crime, and international media attention.
The reality star has opened up about the emotional trauma of that night in several interviews over the years. During a 2020 appearance on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, she recalled being dragged out of bed and realizing she was wearing nothing under her robe.
“I was like, ‘OK, this is the time, I’m going to get raped. Just deal, it’s going to happen,’” she said tearfully. “Then he tied me up with handcuffs and zip ties, duct-taped my mouth and eyes. I just kept begging—‘Take anything, I have children, I have a family.’”
In a 2017 interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Kardashian said the ordeal transformed her completely.
“I know this sounds crazy, but I know that was meant to happen to me. I’m a different person now,” she said. “I used to be materialistic. Not anymore. That experience taught me what really matters.”
It took her nearly two years to return to Paris after the attack. In a 2018 episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, she explained, “I hope this trip will remind me of why Kanye and I fell in love with Paris in the first place.”
Kris Jenner, speaking in a past interview, said the event reshaped their family’s priorities.
“It’s changed the way we live our lives and how we take care of our kids and grandkids. It’s been a process,” Jenner said.
Now, as Kardashian stares down her alleged attackers in a court of law, she hopes the painful journey will lead to justice—and healing.
