The trial in the Donnarumma robbery case has begun in France
A trial has begun in France in the case of an armed attack on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his girlfriend Alesia Elefante. During the robbery, the couple was the victim of a brutal attack.
The attack on the couple took place in Paris in 2023. At the time of the incident, the Italian goalkeeper was playing for PSG; he currently plays for Manchester City. Since then, the couple has officially tied the knot and is raising their son, Leo.
The attack itself took place at night while Gianluigi and Alessia were sleeping in their apartment. The criminals managed to break in by climbing a ladder placed against the building to reach the roof, and from there to the balcony, after which they smashed the windows. Upon waking up, Donnarumma saw the robbers: one of them struck the soccer player in the face and began threatening him with a knife. The goalkeeper pointed out the Audemars Piguet watch on the nightstand to the robbers, after which the attackers turned their attention to his girlfriend.
Alesia Elefante told investigators that the attackers beat her and demanded money and her watch. To save her life, she handed over her Cartier watch, jewelry, and about two thousand euros in cash, but the robbers demanded the combination to the safe. When the terrified woman explained that she didn’t know the combination and that there was nothing inside, the criminals began to behave even more brutally. Despite her screaming that she was pregnant, the attackers dragged her by her hair and beat her on the legs.
Eventually, Donnarumma gave the criminals the safe’s combination, and as Alessia had warned, the safe was indeed completely empty. After taking the keys to the Mercedes and Lamborghini, as well as the cash and designer bags, the gang fled.
Several key members of the criminal group found themselves in the dock and under investigation. According to the prosecution, 21-year-old Ilyas Herbush and K’yan Mamuni directed the raid directly from their prison cells, although both deny any involvement. Another potential participant in the crime, 24-year-old Mokhtar Diop, has admitted his involvement but denies using physical violence. Two other accomplices, who were minors at the time of the crime, have already been sentenced to three and four years in prison, respectively, while another suspect committed suicide in 2024.
As a reminder, Donnarumma topped the list of the world’s 10 most valuable goalkeepers.
