Five women have come forward to accuse Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of luxury department store Harrods, of rape, while over 20 ex-employees claim they were sexually assaulted by him during his ownership of the store.
The disturbing allegations are detailed in a new BBC documentary and podcast titled Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods.
The documentary has gathered testimonies revealing that Harrods not only failed to intervene but actively covered up the abuse. The women recount incidents that allegedly took place in various locations, including London, Paris, St Tropez, and Abu Dhabi.
One of the women, who claims Al Fayed raped her at his Park Lane apartment, said, “I made it obvious that I didn’t want that to happen. I did not give consent. I just wanted it to be over.”
Another woman, who says she was a teenager at the time, shared her harrowing experience of being raped at Al Fayed’s Mayfair residence, describing him as “a monster, a sexual predator with no moral compass.”
The legal team representing several of the women, including barrister Bruce Drummond, has condemned the culture of fear and abuse under Al Fayed’s leadership. Drummond described it as “a spider’s web of corruption and abuse,” stating, “It was unbelievable and very dark.”
Harrods’ current owners expressed shock at the revelations, saying they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations and offered a sincere apology to the victims. In a statement, they acknowledged that the victims had been failed.
While Fayed had faced sexual assault allegations during his lifetime, the scale and seriousness of the new claims are unprecedented. The BBC believes many more women may have been victimised, and the extent of the abuse is still unfolding.
The allegations have ignited a conversation about the legacy of powerful men and the systems that enable abuse to flourish unchecked.
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