The BBC reports that five women have accused the late Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed of rape when they worked at the luxury London department store.
More than 20 female ex-employees say the billionaire, who died last year aged 94, sexually assaulted or raped them. The information came to light in the documentary and podcast, Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods, which gathered evidence that, during Fayed’s ownership, Harrods not only failed to intervene, but helped cover up abuse allegations.
Harrods’ current owners asserted that they had no knowledge of the abuse and said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations and that his victims had not been protected, for which the store is sincerely apologizing.
“The spider’s web of corruption and abuse in this company was unbelievable and very dark,” says barrister Bruce Drummond, from a legal team representing a number of the women.
Since this article was first published, more former Harrods employees have contacted the BBC saying Mohammed Al Fayed assaulted them.
These allegations were part of a broader narrative of controversy that surrounded Al Fayed, including his claims that that his son Dodi, was about to announce his engagement to Princess Diana, that the deaths of Dodi and Princess Diana were caused by the Royal House of Windsor, and that the Windsors covered up crucial incriminating information regarding their role in the deaths. From 1997, when the accident occurred, to his dying day, Al Fayed persecuted and slandered the Royal Family.
Al Fayed was also involved in the “cash for questions” political scandal. Despite these controversies, Al Fayed was also known for his business acumen and the transformation of Harrods into a global luxury brand during his ownership. Now this facet of his life has also come under scrutiny.
The alleged incidents of sexual assault took place in London, Paris, St. Tropez and Abu Dhabi.
“I made it obvious that I didn’t want that to happen. I did not give consent. I just wanted it to be over,” says one of the women, who says Fayed raped her at his Park Lane apartment.
Another woman says she was a teenager when he raped her at the Mayfair address.
“Mohamed Al Fayed was a monster, a sexual predator with no moral compass whatsoever,” she says, adding that all the staff at Harrods were his “playthings”.
“We were all so scared. He actively cultivated fear. If he said ‘jump’ employees would ask ‘how high’.”
Fayed faced sexual assault claims while he was alive, but the new allegations are of unprecedented scale and seriousness.
The BBC has spoken to 13 women who say Fayed sexually assaulted them at 60 Park Lane. Four of them, including Rachel, say they were raped.
Sophia, who says she was sexually assaulted, described the whole situation as an inescapable nightmare.
“I couldn’t leave. I didn’t have a [family] home to go back to, I had to pay rent,” she says. “I knew I had to go through this and I didn’t want to. It was horrible and my head was scrambled.”
The BBC believes many more women may have been assaulted.
