Kim Kardashian testifies in 'heist of the century' trial

Nearly a decade after she was robbed at gunpoint, the reality star has given harrowing testimony in the trial of the men accused of the terrifying crime. Zoë Beaty reports from Paris

- Zoë Beaty

“Hi, I’m Kim Kardashian,” she says.

The voice is instantly recognisable, of course – from endless hours of reality TV consumed by millions, from thousands of social media posts and parodies. She is, as ever, impeccably dressed: a sharp black suit, sparkling jewellery; poised, perfectly made up.

But this is no ordinary public appearance for the woman famous for being famous. Here at the Palais de Justice – which houses France’s highest court – Kardashian has come to give crucial evidence in a case that revisits the harrowing crime she endured nearly a decade ago; the night she was bound and gagged, her hands zip-tied, her mouth taped shut, as she feared she would be raped, shot, and left for dead.

Kardashian’s highly anticipated appearance, she tells the packed courtroom, is to “tell my truth”. She is to testify against 10 men – most of them elderly, all with long criminal records – accused of kidnapping and robbing her on the night of 3 October 2016.

Twelve suspects were originally charged. One has since died, and another was excused due to illness. The French press dubbed them les papys braqueurs – “the grandpa robbers” – but prosecutors insist they are anything but harmless retirees. All deny the allegations.

More than $10m (£7.5m) worth of jewellery was stolen during what would be dubbed “the heist of the century” – a brazen attack that took place inside Kardashian’s luxury hotel room just before 3am, during her visit to Paris for Fashion Week.

The crime – along with its aftermath – was brutal. Kardashian tells the court she was held at gunpoint and, fearing sexual assault, began “saying a prayer”. She was naked under her robe. One man pulled her legs towards him on the bed; another held a gun to her. “I absolutely did think I was going to die,” she says.