A key suspect in the high-profile $10 million robbery of Kim Kardashian has died suddenly just before his trial was set to begin.
Marceau Baum-Gertner, 72, was allegedly a key figure in the gang that held the reality TV star at gunpoint in Paris in 2016, and was responsible for selling her stolen valuables, including a $4 million engagement ring that remains missing.
Baum-Gertner, known as “Nez Râpé,” was a notorious figure in the Paris underworld with a criminal history of handling stolen goods and other crimes. He was set to stand trial alongside ten others for charges related to the robbery and kidnapping but passed away unexpectedly on March 6 in Paris.
Although the cause of death hasn’t been disclosed, sources suggest it was an unexpected event.
Baum-Gertner had been under investigation and was expected to testify in the trial, with prosecutors accusing him of collaborating with mafia groups to sell the stolen Kardashian jewels. Despite his criminal background, Baum-Gertner had visited Antwerp several times to meet with underworld figures, allegedly seeking buyers for the $10 million worth of stolen jewelry.
Baum-Gertner had been under surveillance by French and Belgian authorities and was implicated in a wider network of international crime, including a $7 million jewelry heist. Although he consistently denied involvement in the Kardashian robbery, the case had garnered significant attention, with Kim Kardashian set to testify as a key prosecution witness.
The trial, which was delayed for years due to a crowded court schedule, is now proceeding with the remaining defendants facing charges for their roles in the robbery.
