Former Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed accused of sexual abuse by dozens of women

Sponsored Ad

Dozens of women have come forward accusing the late Mohamed al Fayed, former owner of Harrods, of sexual abuse over a 25-year period. The alleged victims, some of whom were minors, claimed the abuse took place while they were employed as secretaries and assistants for al Fayed.

Lawyers representing 37 women stated the Egyptian billionaire engaged in systematic abuse, with assaults allegedly occurring in his London apartments and properties in Paris, including the Ritz hotel, which he owned. Al Fayed, who passed away at the age of 94 in 2022, was accused of rape, sexual assault, and attempted rape.

The accusations came to light following a BBC documentary, Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods. The women claimed that Harrods, which al Fayed sold in 2010, was aware of the alleged misconduct. The luxury department store expressed shock over the accusations and urged any former or current employees who had been victims of sexual abuse to come forward.

Dean Armstrong, a lawyer representing the survivors, criticized the corporate environment, stating there was a "failure of responsibility" in providing a safe work system. He likened al Fayed’s actions to those of disgraced figures like Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein, suggesting a procurement system was in place to enable the abuse.

Al Fayed had previously been a controversial figure, accusing the British Royal Family of involvement in the deaths of his son Dodi and Princess Diana in 1997.