Shortly after Kim Kardashian’s Paris robbery, some people including her former bodyguard Steve Stanulis speculated the incident might have been an inside job. As it turns out, they might be right.
After it was announced Monday (Jan. 9) French police arrested a large number of suspects in the robbery, the identity of one turned out to be the family’s Parisian limo driver. The 27-year-old was the last person to be seen with Kim K. and was detained by the police. He was also acutely aware of her schedule. At this time, police are currently investigating whether the driver relayed information to the group of career criminals who broke into the Hôtel de Pourtalès on Oct. 3 to rob the star of millions of dollars worth of jewelry.
Jean Veil, Kardashian West’s French lawyer, tells France’s L’Express magazine the family is pleased with the progress of the investigation. “These arrests are a nice surprise,” Veil said. “On the one hand, it will perhaps mean the jewels will be recovered and on the other hand it puts an end to disgraceful speculation by some people, who thought it clever to pretend this robbery was a set-up or a publicity stunt by Madame Kardashian.”
The suspects are aged 23 to 73, with some being high members of international crime groups involved in money laundering and drug trafficking. Some of the suspects were seen traveling to Antwerp, Belgium, one the world’s most prominent diamond trade spots. In addition to the DNA found on the tape used to bound Kardashian, a bracelet dropped by one of the suspects also gave away the identity of another assailant. Five of the suspects were seen on CCTV video footage riding away on bicycles at the time of the robbery.