Cruising Beverly Hills in a Mustang, hanging out with celebrities and helping Nicole Kidman with her bags: Meet Kim Kardashian's 'chauffeur' held over £8.5million jewellery heist

  • Gary Madar, 27, worked for the chauffeur company hired by Kardashians in Paris
  • His brother Michael, 40, owner of Unic Worldpass, was released without charge
  • Pair were among 17 held following police raids across Paris and south of France
  • Gary has been pictured working for stars including P Diddy and Nicole Kidman
  • He and his brother are also pictured driving through Beverly Hills in a Mustang

By Jay Akbar For Mailonline

Published: 11:24 EST, 11 January 2017 | Updated: 16:33 EST, 11 January 2017

Posing with a Mustang in Beverly Hills, relaxing by the pool and helping stars including Nicole Kidman with her luggage, Gary Madar appears to live an enviable life.

The 27-year-old, who was arrested on Monday over the £8.5m Kim Kardashian heist, has posted a series of images on Facebook showing him meeting the Olsen twins, apparently sightseeing in Los Angeles and greeting Kidman in Paris. 

Madar was one of 17 people detained in raids carried out by France's organised crime brigade (BRB) across Paris and the south of France - and is still believed to be in custody.

His brother Michael, founder of the luxury chauffeur company hired by the Kardashians on the night of the £8.5m armed robbery, was also arrested but released without charge overnight. 

Relaxing: Gary, pictured, has posted a series of images to his Facebook photos showing him relaxing on the beach and getting up close to celebrities on the red carpet

Stars: Over the years Gary has been pictured helping stars including Australian actress Nicole Kidman, pictured above with Gary in 2012, as well as reality TV star Kim Kardashian and rapper P Diddy 

Fast car: Gary's brother Michael, right, founder of the UnicWorldPass chauffeur company, was also arrested in connection to the robbery but released without charge. Pictured: The brothers posing with a red Mustang in Beverly Hills during a holiday in 2007

Questioned: Gary Madar, left, who worked for the luxury chauffeur company hired by the Kardashians on the night Kim, right, was tied up and robbed of her diamond engagement ring, was one of 17 people arrested by police in connection to the theft

Gary's Facebook account, which states he lives between New York and Paris, suggests he has been working for A-listers for years.

A profile picture from 2014 shows him wearing a smart black suit and skinny tie as he walks ahead of superstar Diddy, real name Sean Combs.

Another from February 2013 shows the tall Frenchman handling Kim Kardashian's Luis Vuitton hand luggage while the reality TV star walks closely beside him in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

And in March 2012, he was snapped accompanying Australian Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, also as she emerges from Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport.

Gary and his brother also appear to have visited the United States in style.

A gallery from 2009 shows the pair driving a bright red Ford Mustang sports car through the palm tree-lined streets of Beverly Hills and posing with cheerleaders ahead of a Los Angeles Kings ice hockey game.

Another from 2007 shows the pair getting up close with celebrities including legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld, chart topper Fergie and actresses the Olsen Twins in New York. 

Michael - whose company offered a VIP chauffeur service in Paris, London and LA - has taken the news of his brother's arrest 'really badly', a source told MailOnline.

Superstar: Gary's profile picture from 2014, above, shows him wearing a smart black suit and skinny tie as he walks ahead of superstar P Diddy, pictured, in what appears to be an airport

Holiday time: Gary, pictured sipping a cocktail by a swimming pool, is believed to have worked 'on and off' for UnicWorldPass since it was founded by his brother in 2007

Great company: Gary poses with cheerleaders ahead of the LA Kings ice hockey game in 2009

Star spotting: During a trip to New York in 2007, Gary Madar posted pictures of celebrities including the Olsen twins, pictured, designer Karl Lagerfeld and Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie

They said: 'Michael had no idea that Gary had somehow become involved. He was speechless when he learned his brother had been arrested.' 

Investigators have been given 96 hours – four days - to interview suspects but TMZ has reported Michael Madar was in custody for 'testimony purposes' only.

His friends expressed shock at his arrest, while officials in France were said to be 'unsure' which brother chauffeured the reality TV star the night she was robbed in a rented apartment in the French capital in October.

One friend said: 'This is very strange. Michael is a really sweet guy. I would not be surprised if the police had got this one wrong.' 

Separately, details of the suspects who allegedly held up Kim Kardashian in the terrifying jewel heist in Paris have emerged, with most of the arrested found to be in their 50s, 60s and 70s.

Among those arrested is a man known as Omar le Vieux – Old Omar – as well has his two sons aged 23 and 29, according to Le Parisien newspaper.

The 60-year-old's fingerprints are said to have been found on plastic ties used to bind Ms Kardashian's hands during the extraordinary robbery at an exclusive hotel in central Paris in October last year. 

Businessman: UnicWorldPass chief Michael, whose company offered a chauffeur service to VIPs, has taken the news of his brother's arrest 'really badly', according to MailOnline's source. Pictured: Michael Madar holding an umbrella for Kim and Kourtney days before the robbery in Paris in October last year

Arrested: Michael, right, is said to be confused as to how Gary, left, became involved. Meanwhile Michael's friends have expressed their own shock at his arrest, saying he would never betray Kim

Date night: Details of the veteran criminals involved in the extraordinary Paris jewel heist emerged after 17 people were arrested in connection to the theft. Pictured: Kim and rapper husband Kanye appeared to brush off the Paris raids as they went to a sushi restaurant in Beverly Hills on Monday night

Bling: The thieves are said to include 60-year-old Omar le Vieux whose fingerprints are said to have been found on plastic ties used to bind Ms Kardashian's hands. Pictured: The image of the stolen £3.5m ring Kim posted to Instagram before the robbery

The elite BRB detectives also brought in two allegedly seasoned criminals – aged 60 and 63 – who have so far used their right to silence and refused to answer any questions.

Investigators have also pulled in 'former associates' of Old Omar for questioning, including a 64-year-old gypsy named only as Marceau, who is alleged to have fenced the stolen jewellery valued at £8million.

Another member of the alleged gang is a man known as Nez Râpé - or 'Broken Nose' - who was responsible for a series of terrifying motorway robberies.

'Broken Nose' was part of a gang that posed as policemen to pull over and rob at gun-point the owners of luxury cars of travelling on the country's A5 and A6 motorways from Paris to the south of France of their jewellery.

BRB officers recovered almost €300,000 in cash from the homes of the various suspects following their dawn raids on Monday morning, Le Parisien reported.

The operation included the search for a 72-year-old man, known as Pierre, at his home in Grasse, in the mountains overlooking the French riveria.

Pierre, who ran a private beach club in Saint Tropez, was jailed in the early 2000's for drug trafficking.

Veteran criminals: Investigators also quizzed a 64-year-old gypsy known only as Marceau, who is alleged to have fenced the stolen jewellery valued at £8million. Pictured: French policeman bring in a suspect as well as bags of evidence related to the Kardashian heist

Arrest: France's organised crime brigade seized almost €300,000 in cash from the homes of the various suspects following their dawn raids on Monday morning. Pictured: One of the handcuffed suspects being taken in

Reality TV star Kim had a gun pointed at her, her hands and feet bound with cable ties and was left in the bath after masked men with police badges on their jackets burst into her room at a hotel in the city's exclusive 8th arrondissement.

Ms Kardashian, the world's highest paid reality television star, was alone because her bodyguard, Pascal Duvier, was out at a nightclub with her sisters.

Barrister Jean Veil said his 36-year-old client had been left deeply traumatised after being bound, gagged and threatened with death in the French capital last October.

He added the raids and arrests put an end to 'outrageous speculation by some who thought it was intelligent to pretend that this robbery was staged or a publicity stunt organised by Ms Kardashian.'

Mr Veil indicated that Ms Kardashian would look forward 'putting her nose up' at those who had doubted her word.

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