A key suspect in the 2016 Paris robbery of Kim Kardashian has died unexpectedly just before standing trial. Marceau Baum-Gertner, 72, who was accused of helping to find buyers for the jewellery stolen during the high-profile heist, died on 6 March, according to reports.
Kardashian was attending Paris Fashion Week when masked men dressed as police officers forced entry into her hotel suite at the Hôtel de Pourtalès. She was held at gunpoint and tied up while the group stole jewellery worth an estimated $10 million.
Baum-Gertner, known by the alias Nez Râpé or Rough Nose, had a long history of convictions for crimes including robbery, forgery, and dealing in stolen goods. He had been living in Paris and was regularly reporting to police while awaiting his trial. Sources close to the investigation said Baum-Gertner had been eager to clear his name in court.
Reports from Daily Mail indicated that Baum-Gertner had received threats from former criminal associates as the trial date neared. Some sources expressed concerns that he might have been preparing to disclose further information about others involved.
The trial, which is expected to involve more than ten suspects, including Didier “Blue Eyes” Dubreucq and François “Big Guy” Delaporte, is still scheduled to proceed. The French Justice Ministry described the crimes as “to the detriment of Ms Kim Kardashian.”
Kardashian is reportedly set to return to Paris in May to give testimony as a key witness. She has previously spoken publicly about the trauma of the event, recalling during an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians that she feared for her life during the attack.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ