17 Arrested in Kardashian Robbery Roundup
The brazen robbery of Kim Kardashian in a Paris hotel last year is looking a little less Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and a little more Ocean's Eleven. A grand total of 17 suspects have been arrested by French police, including Kardashian's limo driver and men dubbed "Old Omar," Marceau "the gypsy," and Nez Râpé, or Broken Nose.
So just how elaborate was the $10 million jewelry heist? Police may just be scratching the surface.
Mon Dieu, Un Dragnet
Paris-wide raids nabbed 17 people, including three women and suspects ranging from 23 to 72 years old, early Monday morning. Chief among them were Gary Madar, Kardashian's driver the night of the robbery, and five known burglars.
Madar's brother, Michael, was also arrested, along with Omar le Vieux (whose fingerprints were allegedly found on plastic ties used to bind Kardashian) and two of his sons. And according to the Daily Mail, France's organized crime brigade (BRB) also two brothers in their 50s who were allegedly trying to unload a $5M engagement ring.
From Hoax to Heist
Last October, thieves gained access to Kardashian's apartment in an upscale Paris hotel by posing as police officers and threatening a concierge. Once inside, they threatened Kardashian with a gun, bound and gagged her, and robbed of almost $10 million in jewelry. In a new promo for the latest season of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," Kardashian tells her sisters, "They're going to shoot me in the back. There's no way out. It makes me so upset to think about it."
Though some wondered if the tale of terror was a Ryan Lochte-sized whopper, the response from French police (far different from those of their Brazilian counterparts in Lochte's case) indicates otherwise. And what sounded like a snatch-and-grab operation sounds more and more like a well orchestrated heist. We can't wait until it hits the big screen.
Related Resources:
- Kim Kardashian's Paris Chauffeur Among 17 Robbery Suspects Arrested in France (Los Angeles Times)
- Will Kim Kardashian Be Criminally Charged for Secret Taylor Swift Recording? (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Kim Kardashian's Identity Thief Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Man Arrested Trying to Break into Paris Hilton's House (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)