Louvre Jewel Heist Suspects Claim ‘Mysterious Sponsor’ Recruited Them
Two suspects in the October 19, 2025 Louvre jewel heist told Paris investigating judges that a “mysterious sponsor” recruited them two or three days before the robbery, according to statements published by Le Monde and reported by ARTnews. Abdoulaye N., 40, and Ghelamallah A., 36—indicted for “organized gang robbery”—said the sponsor provided a video from inside the Apollo Gallery and instructions to break windows and take the French Crown Jewels; Abdoulaye said he was promised €15,000–€20,000, while Ghelamallah said he was offered €20,000–€25,000 and claimed he did not know the target was the Louvre. Investigators say the group used a motorized lift to reach the gallery, wore yellow construction vests, and stole eight pieces of jewelry valued at more than €88 million in about eight minutes; Abdoulaye admitted dropping the crown of Empress Eugénie, later recovered beneath the broken window. The suspects described fleeing to Ivry-sur-Seine and then driving a circuitous route toward the Vexin region to misdirect police, while the alleged sponsor—still sought—waited in Aubervilliers for the handoff.
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This story was covered in Restitution Reckonings and Museum Scandals Unravel