LONDON, Sept 20 (Askume) – London’s high-end department store Harrods has apologised over allegations that its former owner, Egyptian billionaire businessman Mohamed al Fayed, raped and sexually assaulted several former female employees.
A BBC documentary and podcast heard testimony from more than 20 former female employees who said they were sexually abused by Al Fayed, who died last year aged 94 , and similar incidents also took place in London, Paris, Saint-Tropez and Abu Dhabi.
A woman who accused Al Fayed of raping her when she was a teenager called him a “monster”, adding: “He actively instilled fear.”
According to a BBC documentary aired on Thursday, Harrods failed to intervene and helped cover up allegations of abuse during Al Fayed’s ownership from 1985 to 2010. Women the BBC spoke to said they felt intimidated in the workplace.
“We are deeply shocked by the allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Mohamed Al Fayed,” Harrods said in a statement. “These actions were committed with intent to abuse his power.”
Harrods said: “We also recognise the disappointment caused to their victims during this time and we sincerely apologise for this.” They added that the department store “has no association with the stores owned and controlled by Al Fayed today.”
Allegations of sexual abuse against Al Fayed have been exposed by several media outlets in the past, including Vanity Fair in 1995, ITV in 1997 and Channel 4 in 2017. It was only after his death last year that many women felt they could speak out publicly.
Resolve legal claims
Harrods said: “As new information emerges in 2023 regarding allegations of historical sexual abuse by Al Fayed, our priority is to resolve these allegations as quickly as possible to avoid protracted legal proceedings for the women involved.”
This process is still available to any current or former Harrods employee .
In 2009, prosecutors decided not to charge Al Fayed with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at his store , saying there was “no realistic prospect of a conviction.”
He voluntarily attended police interviews under caution and has always denied the allegations.
In 2010, Al Fayed sold Harrods to the Qatari royal family’s investment vehicle, reportedly worth around £1.5 billion ($2.3 billion).
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Al Fayed began his career selling carbonated drinks and then worked as a sewing machine salesman. His family made their fortune in real estate, shipping and construction, first in the Middle East and then in Europe.
In 1997, when Princess Diana and her son Dodi tried to escape paparazzi photographers on their motorcycles after their car crashed in a Paris road tunnel, Al Fayed spent 10 years trying to prove they had been murdered.
According to the investigation into Diana’s death, his claims were not supported by any evidence.
