Mohamed Al Fayed

More than 20 women have accused former Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed of sexual assault, including rape.

The female ex-employees alleged they were sexually assaulted by the billionaire while they were working at the luxury department store in London, with five of them claiming they were raped by him.

One woman who said Al Fayed raped her at his apartment on Park Lane when she was a teenager branded him a “monster, a sexual predator with no moral compass whatsoever”, describing the staff at Harrods as his “playthings”. She said: “We were all so scared. He actively cultivated fear. If he said ‘jump’ employees would ask ‘how high’.”

The BBC’s documentary and podcast 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' gathered evidence from the more than 20 women against Fayed, who died last year aged 94, with incidents said to have happened in London, Paris and St Tropez.

The broadcaster has alleged Harrods failed to intervene and even helped to cover up the abuse accusations.

The department store’s current owners sincerely apologised, saying they are “utterly appalled” by the allegations and that Fayed’s alleged victims had been failed.

“The spider’s web of corruption and abuse in this company was unbelievable and very dark,” said barrister Bruce Drummond, who works for a firm representing a number of the women.

Fayed faced accusations of sexual assault when he was alive, but the BBC report includes fresh allegations and more alleged victims.

In a statement, the department store said: “We are utterly appalled by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al Fayed. These were the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated and we condemn them in the strongest terms. We also acknowledge that during this time as a business we failed our employees who were his victims and for this we sincerely apologise.

“The Harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010, it is one that seeks to put the welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do.

This is why, since new information came to light in 2023 about historic allegations of sexual abuse by Al Fayed, it has been our priority to settle claims in the quickest way possible, avoiding lengthy legal proceedings for the women involved. This process is still available for any current or former Harrods employees.

“While we cannot undo the past, we have been determined to do the right thing as an organisation, driven by the values we hold today, while ensuring that such behaviour can never be repeated in the future.”

The Independent