A big engagement ring like a phalanx, gold and diamond dental prostheses, a collar at 230,000 euros … The Paris Assize Court is now interested in the extravagant loot stolen from Kim Kardashian, far from the tens of thousands of euros seized among alleged thieves.
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On January 9, 2017, three months after the robbery of the Queen of Influencers, a big thread: the police arrested most of those who are now sitting on the accused’s bench.
With them, neither necklaces, nor diamonds, even less “ring” – as had claimed from Kim Kardashian with their strong French accent the thugs who came for the ring at 3.5 million euros ($ 5.5 million) -, but a little money in cuts of 50 euros.
Some 17,000 euros at Aomar Ait Khedache, the alleged brain of robbery. About 141,000 euros ($ 220,000 CAD) under linen stacks from the Bartean Florus Heroui. Behind the DVDs on the shelf of the alleged jewelry reseller Marceau Baum-Gertner (died before the trial), 5,000 euros ($ 7,816 CAD).
At the son of Yunice Abbas, who admitted to having been one of the watchmen, it is 65,000 euros ($ 101,617 CAD) that were found, largely in a plastic bag.
“Isn’t that a derisory amount?”, Says President David de Pas. The total loot has been estimated at nine million euros ($ 14 million CAD), the biggest flight of an individual in 20 years.
“We are on brand jewelry with all singularities … The ring is 19 carats is a square of chocolate,” exclaims the investigator at the helm. “It is difficult to refurger,” he certifies, explaining that the receivers generally manage to “draw 10 to 15 %” from the actual price of jewelry, no more.
“It’s a lot of risk for little money …”, says the president.
“One blow per year at 70,000 euros ($ 109,445 CAD), it makes a good lifestyle,” replies the investigator.
-And yet, the magistrate still advances, the police were convinced that the thugs were preparing at the time of their arrest an “other blow”.
“Ah well yes, but it’s their job, Mr. President”.
Going back and forth in Belgium
The accused, who mostly dispute their involvement, will not be questioned until next week, after the hearing Tuesday of Kim Kardashian.
In the meantime, investigators follow one another to answer questions. Each lawyer chooses their angle of attack to defend their client. Even if it means losing the rest of the room.
Investigators are sure that the jewelry was sold in Antwerp, a diamond hub.
The police officer at the helm evokes the back and forth of certain accused in Belgium, including a “four-hour” meeting in a jewelry store, with a curious “merry-go-round” of diamonds parading in the shop. The police believe that, given the amount, several jewelers have gathered several to buy the loot.
The day before, the president had scrolled on the screen the photos of the 24 jewelry declared stolen. Between egoportraits puffs with a girlfriend or at the opera, magazine cover and wedding photos with Kanye West (they have since been separated), we see Kim Kardashian carrying his “White Gold earrings” – “There we are 351,000 euros” -, or his Pantier Pantier bracelet “at 95,000 euros ($ 148,532 CAD)”.
Here again, Kim Kardashian eating a papa beard with Hermès bracelets – “55,000, 94,000, 100,000, I believe” continues the magistrate with a disillusioned tone – a Rolex gold watch, “three decorative dentures in gold and diamonds”. And finally “the famous ring valued at four million dollars”.
“Let us understand what was the booty,” said the president.
During the survey, Aomar Ait Khedache only recognized the resale of 800 grams of melted gold (in order to prevent jewelry from being recognized), for an amount of 25 to 28,000 euros ($ 39,087 – $ 43,778 CAD), and “small diamond chips”. He argued that the team had been “too afraid” to resell the ring too easily identifiable and that one of them had kept it, without wanting to say who.
