Yunice Abbas, the 71-year-old suspect in the brazen robbery of Kim Kardashian, took the stand in Paris this week. He claimed he was very sorry for what he had done during trial. Abbas joins nine other members of his community currently charged with the theft. Indeed, this is precisely what happened that fateful night of October 2-3, 2016 when Kardashian was held at gunpoint in her Paris hotel room.
In 2021, Abbas released a follow-up memoir called I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian. Besides his role as chief enabler, he played a key role in the audacious heist. We know this from court documents that state he initially came to the scene on a bicycle. He departed in similar fashion after dropping off a bag containing the spoils. He depose that on the second day he had been assigned to the hospitality lobby to keep watch. At the same time, two other accomplices rushed into Kardashian’s bedroom.
In his allocution statements, Abbas acknowledged “moments of weakness” that led him to commit the robbery. He referred to his decision as one that eventually caused a spiraling effect into many issues he faced in life.
“I fell back on things that I thought were easy shortcuts but only ended up complicating my life,” – Yunice Abbas.
Abbas confessed that stealing from Kardashian was “one job too far.” Yet, for him, what happened was that this experience completely opened his eyes to how wrong he had been. He further claimed to have “totally regretted” his participation in the crime. This admission, to his credit, has drawn a great deal of media attention over the years.
Abbas was actively involved with the robbery, but is not in custody. The other nine co-defendants are still in custody. He had a lengthy criminal record with multiple prior convictions for armed robbery. He outfitted their vehicles with hidden compartments to stash contraband. Abbas was previously charged for robberies with counterfeit number plates.
In court, Abbas expressed remorse for now-harmless acts on his part, saying “that makes me extremely uncomfortable.” His testimony illuminates a life largely spent living largely on the wrong side of the law, as a result of financial need and bad choices.
The trial’s underway. Prosecutors are fiercely committed to prosecuting each and every person in this outrageous high-stakes armed robbery that sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. The case continues to be the center of discourse around protecting celebrities and the impact of crime.