The audacious €88 million (£75 million) Louvre Museum heist that shook Paris in October 2025 has taken another dramatic turn. According to transcripts of questioning published by Le Monde, two suspects – Abdoulaye N and Ghelamallah A – have revealed the alleged mastermind behind the operation was left disappointed with the quantity of stolen jewels, believing more could have been taken.
According to their accounts, the duo allegedly broke into the Louvre's Apollo Gallery under instructions from a client they have refused to name, citing fears for their families' safety. The pair made off with eight pieces of jewellery, including tiaras, a brooch, necklaces, and earrings, but a significant piece – a gem-encrusted crown worn by Empress Eugénie in the 19th century – was dropped and severely damaged during their escape.
The suspects claimed they were recruited only a few days before the break-in and were shown a video filmed inside the gallery to aid their preparation. Abdoulaye N, a former minor social media personality with a passion for motorbikes, stated he was in severe financial difficulty and was promised between €15,000 and €20,000 for his participation, potentially more depending on the value of the haul. In contrast, Ghelamallah A claimed he was initially led to believe the target was a generic "jewellery store where they make jewellery in Paris," and would never have agreed to participate if he had known it was the world's most visited museum.
The suspects described how they gained entry to a first-floor balcony via a furniture lift before breaking through a window of the Apollo Gallery. Once inside, they allegedly cut out the windows of two display cases. Abdoulaye N recounted the scene: "When we got in, there was no one there, it was dark, only the lights in the display cases were on. In the distance, I could see security moving around, behind a door, or something." He also noted they were aware of a strict time limit, stating, "If we take more than three minutes, we know we have to leave, otherwise we'll be reported."
Despite their accounts, the suspects continue to refuse to identify the alleged mastermind, with Abdoulaye N stating he received calls in detention telling him to "keep quiet." The investigation into the heist remains ongoing, and it is unclear what has become of the stolen jewels.