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Several suspects in Kim Kardashian's French robbery trial have been found guilty.The 69-year-old ringleader Aomar Ait Khedache and several others were found guilty May 23. The mixed panel of judges and jury convicted eight of the 10 defendants for crimes directly linked to the theft, while another defendant was found guilty of illegal weapons charges. One person was acquitted.The heaviest sentences were handed down to five defendants who participated directly in the heist, with the robbery mastermind Khedache receiving a three-year jail sentence.In a statement to USA TODAY on May 23, Kardashian expressed her gratitude about her case."I am deeply grateful to the French authorities for pursuing justice in this case. The crime was the most terrifying experience of my life, leaving a lasting impact on me and my family," Kardashian said in a statement. "While I'll never forget what happened, I believe in the power of growth and accountability and pray for healing for all. I remain committed to advocating for justice, and promoting a fair legal system."Kim Kardashian jewelry heist was one of the biggest in FranceThe suspects were accused of tying up Kardashian with zip ties and duct tape before making off with jewelry, including a $4 million engagement ring given to her by her then-husband rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, according to investigators.At the time, the robbery was considered the biggest in France for more than 20 years.Earlier this month, the "Kardashians" on Hulu star testified in Paris court that she thought she would be raped and killed during the 2016 heist where she was robbed at gunpoint in her hotel room by a group who stole jewels worth millions.Dressed down in a black suit and wearing glitzy jewelry, Kardashian arrived in court on May 13 accompanied by her mother Kris Jenner. Cameras were not allowed in the courtroom, and her testimony was not broadcast live.Kim Kardashian forgave robbery mastermind"I absolutely thought I was going to die," she told the court, shedding tears at times during her testimony. "I thought about my sister, thought she would walk in and see me shot dead and have that memory in her forever." Kardashian's older sister and co-star Kourtney Kardashian was in Paris during the 2016 trip.She said at one point she feared she was going to be raped as the robbers threw her on the bed and one of them grabbed her leg. "But he ended up tying me up and closed my legs," the businesswoman said.During the court hearing, Kardashian forgave Khedache, nicknamed "Omar the Old," who can no longer speak, after he wrote an apology letter that was read."I'm honestly emotional about it," Kardashian told the court, in tears."I do appreciate the letter for sure, I forgive you," she said, looking at Khedache. "But it doesn't change the feelings and the trauma and the fact that my life was forever changed, but I do appreciate the letter, thank you."Kim Kardashian social media went silent after 2016 Paris robberyThe Skims founder later detailed the aftermath of the robbery on her family's former E! reality show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" but briefly went dark on social media.Then, in January 2017 Kardashian returned to social media, posting a home video and a family photo with ex-husband Ye and their two eldest children: North and Saint West.Twenty minutes after she posted, Kardashian garnered more than 500,000 likes on Instagram for a picture of herself, Ye and her two children, then aged 3 and 1, on a deck, dressed in the family's favored color palette of black and white.The caption: "family." She also released a home video montage on her website and app, featuring more images of the family and others in her Kardashian-Jenner clan. That March, she relived the event on episodes of "KUWTK."Contributing: Reuters; Maria Puente, USA TODAY
