A French man convicted for his alleged involvement in the 2016 robbery of American reality star, Kim Kardashian, has died, a source close to the case confirmed on Thursday.
Didier Dubreucq, 69, was one of eight individuals found guilty earlier this year in connection with the high-profile armed heist in Paris.
He had been undergoing treatment for lung cancer, which was diagnosed during his time in pre-trial detention.
Throughout the legal proceedings, he received chemotherapy.
The robbery took place on the night of October 2–3, 2016, at a luxury hotel in Paris where Kardashian was staying.
The gang was accused of stealing jewellery worth an estimated $10 million, including a diamond ring reportedly belonging to her then-husband, rapper Kanye West.
Nicknamed “Blue Eyes” by investigators for his distinctive appearance, Dubreucq was believed to be one of the two men who entered Kardashian’s hotel room.
However, he consistently denied direct involvement in the crime.
Last month, a Paris court sentenced him to seven years in prison, five of which were suspended. Given his illness and the two years he had already spent in pre-trial detention, he was not returned to custody.
Appearing in court in April after undergoing chemotherapy, Dubreucq maintained his innocence. “I had nothing to do” with the crime, he told the court.
Despite previously serving a 23-year sentence for armed robbery, Dubreucq rejected the criminal label. “I’m a good guy,” he said. “I don’t like being called an ‘armed robber’.”
He also reflected on how fatherhood had transformed his life. “Since becoming a father, I put an end to the big mistakes,” he said, noting that he became a parent at the age of 50.
In last month’s ruling, none of the eight convicted individuals, including 69-year-old ringleader Aomar Ait Khedache, were ordered back to prison due to the time already spent in pre-trial detention.
