Paris, June 27, 2025 — One of the elderly criminals convicted in the high-profile 2016 armed robbery of American reality TV star Kim Kardashian in Paris has died, just one month after being found guilty.
French media on Thursday reported the death of Didier Dubreucq, 69, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer while in detention ahead of the trial.
Dubreucq, known by the nickname “Blue Eyes,” was among eight men convicted in May for their roles in the multimillion-dollar heist that shocked the world and left Kardashian deeply traumatised.
The gang, dubbed the “grandpa robbers” due to their ages — many were in their 60s and 70s — stole approximately $10 million worth of jewellery from Kardashian, including a $4 million engagement ring given to her by then-husband Kanye West.
Dubreucq had denied any involvement in the robbery. “It’s a mistaken identity case… I had nothing to do with this,” he told the court during his testimony in April.
Despite his denial, he was sentenced to seven years in prison, with five years suspended. However, due to his deteriorating health, he did not return to prison after sentencing, having already served two years in pre-trial detention.
He had been undergoing chemotherapy throughout the trial and was too unwell to attend the final hearing in May.
The presiding judge, David De Pas, acknowledged the severe health issues of several defendants and said their conditions made further incarceration ethically unacceptable.
The robbery, which took place in the early hours of October 3, 2016, inside a private luxury apartment in Paris, involved masked men dressed as police officers who forced their way into Kardashian’s room.
During the trial, the 43-year-old star recounted the harrowing ordeal, testifying via video link. “I thought I would be shot dead on the bed,” she told the court, adding that the event left a lasting psychological impact.
In a statement released following the verdict, Kardashian said, “The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family.”
The trial gripped France and international audiences, both due to the celebrity status of the victim and the unusual nature of the suspects — retired criminals with a long history in France’s underworld. Several of the defendants had already served jail time for major crimes in the past.
Three other individuals in the case received prison terms of up to eight years, also largely suspended due to time already served.
None of the convicted men were sent back to prison, reinforcing the perception of a justice system grappling with how to handle elderly and ailing offenders.
Dubreucq’s death brings a final chapter to his personal story in the case, but for Kardashian, the trauma of that night continues to reverberate. Despite the convictions, only a fraction of the stolen jewellery has ever been recovered.