The iconic media socialite, Kim Kardashian, was awarded 1 euro, equivalent to $1.50, in connection with a 2016 armed heist at a hotel in the French capital in which the businesswoman was robbed at gunpoint of $6 million worth of jewelry.
The co-founder of SKIMS specifically requested 1 euro, not to minimize the crime, but to make it clear this was not about the money. The purpose of pursuing the case and the criminals involved was to seek justice for all those victimized by the incident.
Robbery in Paris
During Paris Fashion Week on October 3, 2016, several masked men dressed as police officers stormed the luxury Hôtel de Pourtalès and made their way into Kim Kardashian’s suite, where they bound and gagged her with zip ties and tape. “They put plastic ties around her wrists, but she managed to squeeze her hands out of the wrist ties by wriggling her hands,” a source said.
They placed her in a bathtub with a gun pointed at her while they stole more than $6 million in jewelry, including her $4 million 20-carat emerald diamond engagement ring given to her by then-husband Kanye West, two diamond Cartier bracelets, a gold-and-diamond Jacob necklace, Lorraine Schwartz diamond earrings and a gold Rolex. Most of the jewelry stolen in the heist has never been recovered.
After Kardashian was freed by her captors, she ran to her stylist and childhood friend Simone Harouche’s room, where the two called the real police. By January 2017, French authorities arrested 17 people in connection with the armed robbery, 10 of whom would later stand trial for the crime.
Paris Heist Trial
The accused gang became known as the “Grandpa Robbers” or, in France, as les papys braqueurs because several of them were in their 60s and 70s at the time. A lawyer in the case said the socialite requested an award sum during trial, which she attended decked out in all-black attire and diamond jewelry, saying she wanted to “taunt the f— out of these losers.”
In May 2025 at trial, she said that she “absolutely did think I was gonna die.” Eight of the defendants were convicted, while the other two were acquitted. Their time was deemed served by the end of the trial, which had been continuously delayed, and they would not spend another minute in prison.
After the trial ended, Kardashian told PEOPLE she was “deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case.”
“The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family,” she said. “While I’ll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice and promoting a fair legal system.”
Victims Awarded
Despite the severity of the crime and the emotional damage it caused, Kardashian asked the Paris court for only 1 euro, as did Harouche, who was downstairs at the time.
In addition to Kardashian’s and her stylist, the hotel received 50,000 euros ($57,741), and the former receptionist was awarded 109,516 euros ($126,472). A lawyer in the case said the sum was requested by the socialite
“We are grateful to the French justice system for recognizing us as victims of the terrible events that took place in Paris in 2016,” Kardashian and Harouche told PEOPLE in a joint statement.
“The experience was deeply traumatic, and its impact has stayed with us,” they added. “Today’s decision is not about the compensation, but about accountability and recognition. We are thankful to the Court and everyone who supported us throughout this process, and we hope to now move forward and continue to heal.”
