Paris: Nearly nine years after Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in a Paris hotel, new, harrowing details of the traumatic night were revealed in court on Tuesday as her longtime friend and fashion stylist, Simone Harouche, gave powerful testimony. Harouche, visibly shaken, described the terror of being awoken by Kardashian’s desperate screams and fearing the worst—that her friend was being raped or that they would both be killed.
The testimony came during the ongoing trial of 10 suspects accused of orchestrating the 2016 robbery that stunned the world. The group—dubbed the "grandpa robbers" by French media due to their advanced age, with defendants ranging from 35 to 78—allegedly stole over $10 million in jewelry from the reality star, including a $4 million diamond engagement ring from Kanye West.
Harouche recounted hiding in a bathroom as masked men broke into their luxury duplex apartment during Paris Fashion Week. "I heard her say, ‘I have babies, I need to live,’” she told the court, fighting back tears. “It was a voice I had never heard from Kim—pure terror.”
Harouche said Kardashian later came hopping down the stairs, her ankles taped, wearing only a thin robe and visibly distraught. “She was beside herself… she kept saying: ‘We need to get out. We need help. What if they come back?’” Harouche added.
Both women have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder since the incident, she said, noting the dramatic shift it caused in Kardashian’s once-public lifestyle. “She was very free at the time. We never thought being in our hotel meant fearing for our lives.”
Asked whether flaunting wealth online contributed to the attack, Harouche forcefully rejected the notion. “Just because a woman wears jewelry doesn’t make her a target. That’s like saying if she wears a short skirt, she deserves to be raped.”
Kardashian, expected to appear in court later on Tuesday, plans to face the accused with what her French legal team described as “dignity and courage.” Her lawyers confirmed her intent to confront the men who bound, gagged, and robbed her at gunpoint, saying she is committed to seeking justice despite the lasting psychological toll.
The trial, which continues through May 23, has become one of France’s most high-profile criminal proceedings involving an international celebrity. Eight of the defendants deny involvement in the crime, while others are accused of planning or aiding the heist.
The chilling recollections presented in court serve as a stark reminder of the night that forever changed Kardashian’s relationship with fame, privacy, and personal security.
