Deborah Chan
In 2016, Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week. Armed assailants entered her hotel room, bound her hands and feet, and locked her in the bathroom before stealing over $10 million worth of jewellery, including a 20-carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring valued at $4 million. The ring was never recovered, and police sources believe it was melted down or recut and sold on the black market. In 2019, Kardashian sparked confusion when she appeared to be wearing the stolen ring in promotional images for her KKW Diamonds Collection fragrances. However, she later clarified that the ring in the photos was merely a replica borrowed from the original designer, Lorraine Schwartz.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location of Theft | Paris, France |
| Date of Theft | 2016 |
| Type of Theft | Armed Robbery |
| Estimated Value of Stolen Items | $10 million |
| Value of Ring | $4 million |
| Ring Characteristics | 20-carat, emerald-cut diamond |
| Ring Designer | Lorraine Schwartz |
| Ring's Current Status | Unrecovered |
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What You'll Learn
- Kim Kardashian robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week in 2016
- $10 million worth of jewellery stolen, including a $4 million ring
- Ring was a 20-carat emerald-cut diamond designed by Lorraine Schwartz
- Kim Kardashian addresses fan confusion over Instagram photoshoot
- Police believe the stolen jewellery was melted down or recut and sold on
Kim Kardashian robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week in 2016
Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week in October 2016. Five people, dressed as police officers, overpowered the hotel's night watchman and accessed her room. Two masked men then entered Kardashian's room, bound her hands and feet with tape, and locked her in the bathroom. The thieves stole more than $10 million worth of jewellery, including a jewellery box containing valuables worth $6.7 million, as well as a 20-carat diamond engagement ring from Kanye West worth $4 million.
Kardashian testified in court in May 2025 about the robbery, which she described as a ''horrific" and ''life-changing" experience. She recalled thinking it was a "terrorist attack" and that she was going to die. The trial involved 10 people accused of robbing Kardashian, including Yunice Abbas, who wrote a book about the robbery in 2021, titled "I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian". Abbas expressed regret for his actions, stating that the relentless media coverage of the burglary made him realise how much Kardashian had suffered.
In the aftermath of the robbery, Kardashian told Ellen DeGeneres that she had stopped caring so much about materialistic items and that the experience had changed her as a person. She also addressed speculation that she had regained possession of her stolen engagement ring after posting photos on social media featuring a ring that resembled the stolen one. She clarified that the ring in the photos was a replica made by the original designer, Lorraine Schwartz.
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$10 million worth of jewellery stolen, including a $4 million ring
In 2016, Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week. Two men entered her hotel room, bound her hands and feet with tape, and locked her in the bathroom. The thieves stole $10 million worth of jewellery, including a jewellery box containing valuables worth $6.7 million, as well as a 20-carat emerald-cut diamond ring valued at $4 million.
Kardashian, a reality TV star, had been documenting her time at Paris Fashion Week on social media. She started the day makeup-free at the Balenciaga show, followed by a front-row cameo at Givenchy, where her sister Kendall walked the runway for the first time in Paris. She then joined her sister Kourtney at a dinner hosted by designer Azzedine Alaïa.
In the aftermath of the robbery, Kardashian told Ellen DeGeneres that she had stopped caring so much about materialistic items and that the experience had changed her as a person. She also made lifestyle changes to improve her safety, including hiring round-the-clock security guards for her family.
The stolen jewellery has never been recovered, and police sources believe it has been melted down or recut and sold on the black market. Kardashian has since addressed fan confusion over whether she had regained possession of the ring, clarifying that she had merely borrowed it from the designer, Lorraine Schwartz, for a photoshoot.
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Ring was a 20-carat emerald-cut diamond designed by Lorraine Schwartz
Kim Kardashian's 20-carat emerald-cut diamond ring was designed by celebrity jeweller Lorraine Schwartz. The ring was given to her by Kanye West and is valued at $4 million. Kardashian has described Schwartz as someone who "always knows the cut and everything that I really wanted".
Kardashian's ring was stolen during a robbery in Paris in 2016. Armed robbers held Kardashian at gunpoint, tied her up, and locked her in a bathroom before stealing over $10 million worth of jewellery, including the ring. The ring has never been recovered and is believed to have been melted down or recut and sold on the black market.
In 2019, Kardashian sparked confusion among fans when she shared photos of herself wearing a ring that resembled the stolen one. However, she clarified that the ring in the photos was a replica made by Schwartz and that she had borrowed it for the photoshoot.
Kardashian has since opened up about the impact of the robbery, saying that she had become a "'m a different person" and no longer cared as much about materialistic items. She also revealed that she and her husband, Kanye West, had made changes to their security measures following the incident.
The stolen ring holds significant sentimental value for Kardashian, and its loss serves as a reminder of the dangers of prioritising material possessions over personal safety.
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Kim Kardashian addresses fan confusion over Instagram photoshoot
In 2016, Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week. The thieves made off with more than $10 million worth of jewellery, including a $4 million 20-carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring.
Kardashian later posted photos on Instagram to promote her KKW Fragrance Diamonds Collection. In the photos, she appeared to be wearing the stolen ring, causing confusion among her fans. However, she later clarified that the ring in the photos was a replica made by the original designer, Lorraine Schwartz, and that she had borrowed it for the photoshoot.
Kardashian explained that she often borrows jewellery from Schwartz, who designed both of her engagement rings from Kanye West. She also revealed that she had become less materialistic after the robbery, saying, "I'm such a different person."
In other instances, Kardashian's Instagram photos have caused confusion among her fans for different reasons. In December 2024, she posted a series of photos ahead of the launch of her shapewear and clothing brand, SKIMS. Fans were quick to point out her resemblance to Beyoncé in the photos, with some even mistaking her for the singer. Some of the comments included, "Thought it was Beyoncé for a sec," and "Kimberly Beyoncé Kardashian, what is this?"
In March 2023, Kardashian posted a series of bikini selfies on Instagram that sparked comments about her appearance. Fans questioned what had happened to her face, with some criticising her use of "duck face" and speculating about fillers and breast implants. Others praised her for her sexy and beautiful pictures.
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Police believe the stolen jewellery was melted down or recut and sold on
In 2016, Kim Kardashian West was robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week. The thieves stole $10 million worth of jewellery, including a 20-carat emerald-cut diamond ring valued at $4 million. None of the stolen items were ever recovered.
A Paris police source told Us Weekly that they believed the stolen jewellery had been "melted down or recut and sold on the black market". The police source also stated that the thieves likely used a high-tech laser to remove the diamond's 15-digit ID code and the Adidas logo that Kardashian's husband, Kanye West, had engraved on the ring band.
The police's belief that the stolen jewellery had been recut and sold on is supported by the nature of sophisticated jewellery theft. When a diamond is stolen by experienced thieves, they often hire cutters to reshape the diamond to the specifications of their clients, thereby removing any identifying marks or ID numbers in the process.
Furthermore, a source close to the investigation, Yanice KIhedache, told police that "there is a person who has it [the ring]… Everyone was afraid to sell because it’s a stone that’s very easily spotted.” This suggests that the thieves may have struggled to sell the ring due to its distinctive features and public profile, and therefore had it recut or melted down before selling it on.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, her 20-carat diamond engagement ring, worth an estimated $4 million, was stolen during a Paris robbery in 2016.
Yes, Paris police made major progress in the investigation and charged 10 people out of the 17 arrested in connection with the crime. However, none of the stolen property was ever recovered.
No, the ring was never recovered. In 2019, Kardashian posed with a ring that resembled the stolen one, but she clarified that it was a replica made by the original designer, Lorraine Schwartz.
