Mohamed al-Fayed - latest: Harrods boss ruled over ‘toxic and abusive’ culture, says US lawyer Gloria Allred
Harrods was a toxic, unsafe and abusive environment under the chairmanship of Mohamed Al Fayed, a US lawyer has claimed.
Gloria Allred told journalists that allegations against the former owner, who died last year, included serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery and sexual abuse of minors.
Other lawyers described him as “a monster” whose case involved the “most horrific elements of ... Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”.
Five women allege they were raped by the late Harrods owner, and at least 32 others allege sexual misconduct.
Barrister Dean Armstrong KC said the case combined “some of the most horrific elements of case involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”.
He said the legal team had been retained by 37 accusers and was “in the process of being retained by many more”.
Harrods said it was “utterly appalled” by the allegations.
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673).
Key Points
Claims against Fayed include serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery and sexual abuse of minors, says lawyer
Sex abuse claims ‘combined horrific parts of Savile, Epstein and Weinstein’
Al-Fayed’s ‘could be one of worst cases of corporate sexual exploitation world has ever seen'
The survivors ‘will be silenced no more’, says leading women’s rights lawyer
Harrods says it is ‘utterly appalled’ by allegations of abuse by late owner
Friday 20 September 2024 09:51 , Andy Gregory
We’ll be using this blog to bring you the latest updates as the legal team involved in the investigation into claims of rape by late Harrods owner Mohammad Al Fayed hold a press conference.
New sex assault claim against Mohamed Al Fayed
Friday 20 September 2024 09:52 , Andy Gregory
A new sex assault claim has been made against Mohamed Al Fayed after an investigation into the late Harrods owner was published.
The woman believes police nearly arrested him over her allegations just days before he died in August 2023, she told the BBC.
More than 20 female former employees have spoken to the broadcaster as part of a special investigation, coming forward with allegations of assault and physical violence, with incidents said to have happened in London, Paris, St Tropez and Abu Dhabi.
Five women alleged they had been raped by Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94. The BBC alleged Harrods not only failed to intervene but helped cover up the allegations of abuse.
You can read more in this report:
New sex assault claim against Mohamed Al Fayed after ex Harrods boss accused of rapes
Legal team involved in Al Fayed probe to hold press conference
Friday 20 September 2024 09:53 , Andy Gregory
At a press conference due to start at 10am, a legal team involved in the investigation against Mohammad Al Fayed is expected to share more details about a claim against the luxury department store for allegedly failing to provide a safe system of work for its employees.
After the publication of the investigation on Thursday, a woman who the BBC is calling Melanie came forward to say she had been subjected to a “sickening” sexual assault by the Egyptian billionaire.
Harrods says it is ‘utterly appalled’ by allegations of abuse by late owner
Friday 20 September 2024 09:54 , Andy Gregory
Following the new allegation, Harrods’ current owners said they stood by a statement issued on Thursday which said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse.
It said Fayed was “intent on abusing his power wherever he operated” and accepted it had “failed” employees in its lack of response.
The department store has also set up a page on its website inviting former employees to come forward if they have any allegations.
‘I have never seen a case as horrific as this,' lawyer says
Friday 20 September 2024 10:27 , Andy Gregory
The press conference is now under way.
Dean Armstrong KC has said that, in “many years of practice”, he has “never seen a case as horrific as this”.
He said it “combines some of the most horrific elements of case involving Jimmy Saville, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”.
“Saville because the institution knew about the behaviour, Epstein because there was a procurement system in palace to source the women and girls for abuse, Weinstein because it was a person at the very top who was abusing his power,” he said.
‘This could be one of worst cases of corporate sexual exploitation world has ever seen,’ lawyer says
Friday 20 September 2024 10:27 , Andy Gregory
Bruce Drummond KC told the press conference: “This is one of the worst cases of corporate sexual exploitation that certainly I and perhaps the world has ever seen.
“It was absolutely horrific. I cannot stress that word enough – it was horrific. It’s horrific because the acts carried out against these young women and girls – and I say girls, because most of them were only 19 to 24 at the time, and some were as young as 15 and 16.
“It’s horrific, because the system – and it was the system – that procured them was enabling the abuse of these young women. And it’s horrific because the effects that this sexual abuse and Harrods’ institutional betrayal has had on our clients.
“These effects have lasted years, and in some instances, for decades. And even continue to this day.”
Harrods invites former employees to come forward with allegations
Friday 20 September 2024 10:30 , Andy Gregory
Harrods has set up a page on its website inviting former employees to come forward if they have any allegations.
Survivors had ‘private medical examination’
Friday 20 September 2024 10:31 , Alex Croft
Women would be sent for a ‘private medical examination’ by 3 or 4 doctors after being selected by recruitment team, said barrister Maria Mulla.
This would involve a full body screening, sometimes including a cervical smear and an ovary check.
These checks would be done for roles as Al-Fayed’s secretary, personal assistant, or even interior designer.
Al-Fayed would make “degrading and humiliating comments personally about what he had been told at their medical examination”.
Harrods doctor checked my ovaries and sent results to Mohamed Al-Fayed, claims former assistant
Friday 20 September 2024 10:35 , Andy Gregory
Former Harrods employees claim their gynaecological test results were sent directly to the department store’s ex-owner Mohamed Al Fayed, my colleague Holly Patrick reports.
Speaking in the BBC documentary Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods, the former staff members claimed they were told to undergo medical checkups — including an internal sexual health test — as “an extra perk of the job” and because Al Fayed’s son Dodi “had a low immune system”.
One woman claimed she had a smear test and a doctor checked her ovaries.
“My results were sent directly to the chairman so quickly that by the time I had got back to my desk, he knew the results,” she alleged.
Women were on receiving end of vile threats, barrister says
Friday 20 September 2024 10:36 , Alex Croft
One employee was sexually assaulted and raised this in a formal written complaint to Harrods.
The head of security, John Mcnamara, allegedly said: “You are a girl alone in London, someone could jump out the bushes at you, or you could have a sudden accident. You need to deny what you have said in the first letter with a second letter, which you must drop off before noon.”
She did as she was told out of fear, Ms Mulla said.
Another woman was told she had been “disloyal” to the chairman, and she had to leave immediately.
If she spoke to press, she was told “in explicit terms that there would be serious consequences”, it was alleged.
She was subjected to threats, became mentally ill, suicidal, and admitted to psychiatric hospital for 6 months of her life. She was also left unable to create relationships with other men, losing out on the opportunity to have her own family, lawyers said.
The survivors ‘will be silenced no more’, says leading women’s rights lawyer
Friday 20 September 2024 10:47 , Alex Croft
Leading women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred told the press conference: “He died without ever taking responsibility for what he did to many of his victims. These victims have suffered for years, even decades. They have lived with the shame, humiliation and the anguish that Mohammad al-Fayed and Harrods caused them.
“Al Fayed was determined to silence these women. They will be silenced no more.
“We are proud of all of the women who are coming forward to seek accountability. The good news is that civil justice is still available for them, and they will not rest.
“It is not enough for Harrods to now say that they are sorry … Justice demands that the victims receive meaningful accountability for what they suffered.”
‘Call me Papa’, Al-Fayed told employee
Friday 20 September 2024 10:52 , Andy Gregory
Natacha was 19, and had moved to London before getting an interview with Harrods in a supporting role to his private PA.
She was interviewed by himself at his private office, and given the job.
She thought it was the “chance of a lifetime”, saying it was her “passport to a shining, high-power career”.
“He was clever and highly manipulative, he behaved like a father figure, saying call me Papa,” Natacha told the press conference. “Unbeknownst to me, I had worn into a lion’s den … the chairman prayed on the most vulnerable.”
She added: “Those who abuse need to know that its not OK. They need to know that one day, like today, they will be found out and exposed.”
Survivor recalls attempted rape by Al-Fayed
Friday 20 September 2024 11:01 , Alex Croft, Andy Gregory
Natacha, who formerly worked as Al-Fayed’s PA, recalled being summoned to his room, where she she would go through a “forced kiss, his hands gripping your face to his lip or pulling you down to his lap where his hands were free to explore any part of your body he wished”.
She was reminded not to tell anyone, being told that Al-Fayed would find out if she did. “I felt such fear and some sick loyalty as his employee. It was an era when women were still the underclass in the working world,” she said.
One night she was asked to stay late, and was summoned to Al-Fayed’s apartment on pretext of job review. Natacha was escorted by security guard who ushered her into his private sitting room and the door was locked behind her.
She was offered a glass of champagne. Sex toys were on view and his bedroom door was partially open, Natacha said, adding: “I felt petrified.”
Al-Fayed “pushed himself” onto her, before Natacha fell onto the floor with him still on top of her. “I managed to kick free and free myself, I ran towards the door. I told him I was meeting my father for dinner and he would be worried I was late,” Natacha said.
“He just laughed at me,” she said. He then “composed himself” and told her not to tell anyone – or she would never work in London again and that he knew where her family lived.
“I felt scared and sick. Eventually leaving Park Lane, I never stepped foot in his private office again,” Natacha said.
Further related allegations, lawyer says
Friday 20 September 2024 11:10 , Andy Gregory
Barrister Maria Mulla has told the press conference that there are further allegations yet to come.
Asked whether there are more serious allegations yet to come beyond those seen in the BBC’s documentary, “Yes, unfortunately so. From the numerous women that we represent we have a number of more serious allegations that have been made.
“Also that don’t just concern Mohammad Al-Fayed. But we are not able to go any further about that now.”
However, she added that they are “the worst sexual assaults that you can imagine”.
Legal team ‘not ruling anything out'
Friday 20 September 2024 11:23 , Alex Croft
Dean Armstrong KC suggests the legal team are pursuing other parties – without adding further details.
“It is certainly not the case that we are not pursuing other parties,” he responds to a reporter.
“We are not ruling anything out,” he added.
Survivors come from all over the world
Friday 20 September 2024 11:47 , Alex Croft
Asked about the global scope of the case, barrister Bruce Drummond told the news conference the “scope of this case is vast” and listed countries were Mohamed Al Fayed’s accusers are from.
He said some of the women are from Malaysia, Australia, Italy, Romania, the US and Canada.
“The global aspect of this case … is because this is a claim that will affect far reaching jurisdictions,” Mr Drummond said.
“We do not see this as anything but a global claim. Also, the assaults, the rapes, the attempted rapes were carried out all over the world, it wasn’t just in Paris and the UK.”
Police were involved in the case
Friday 20 September 2024 11:48 , Alex Croft
“The police were involved in this case. We know that a complaint was made by, a young woman of 15 years old,” said Dean Armstrong KC.
“This is not a criticism of the police, it is not any kind of judgement on the police action.”
Lawyers ‘aware of allegations at other institutions with links to Al-Fayed'
Friday 20 September 2024 11:51 , Andy Gregory
Barrister Maria Mulla told the press conference: “We are aware of allegations that have been made at other places of work. We represent also women who were employed by the Ritz.
“We don’t at this stage represent any women who, for instance, sustained attacks at Fulham Football Club but our investigations are obviously ongoing into all these entities that he had an involvement in”.
“Because our investigations so far have revealed that the number of women involved in this, simply from Harrods, has been startling. So it’s highly unlikely that there are not victims out there from these other places of work.
“Wherever he went, there will be victims.”
Al Fayed was the owner of the Ritz Paris hotel
We need more women at the top, says Gloria Allred
Friday 20 September 2024 11:54 , Andy Gregory
There are not enough women in top professional roles in the UK, leading women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred told the press conference.
“If we had a more integrated workplace by gender and race and age, ethnic origin sexual orientation and so forth, we would have a better workplace, a more productive workplace,” Ms Allred said.
“It would be in a corporation’s interest to do that. There are not enough women in the UK or in the US who are at the top level.”
“That has to change, and maybe we’d have less sexual abuse by people in power if the people in power were women.”
Al Fayed sex abuse victim fights back tears as she recalls how Harrods boss paralysed her with fear
Friday 20 September 2024 12:13 , Andy Gregory
My colleague Lucy Leeson has more details here:
Al Fayed sex abuse victim recalls how Harrods boss paralysed her with fear
Barrister says compensation for victims would be ‘welcome'
Friday 20 September 2024 12:35 , Andy Gregory
Barrister Dean Armstrong KC said compensation from Harrods for women who have claimed sexual abuse against Mohamed Al Fayed would be “welcome”.
He said: “If Harrods feel that they ought to compensate women financially for what they’ve done and how they failed them, then of course that is something which we would welcome.
“But we are not going to sit here and accept any suggestion that we are only interested in money.
“This is about much, much, much more.”
Harrods’ current owners said they stood by a statement issued on Thursday which said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse, and have set up a page on its website inviting former employees to come forward if they have any allegations.
Watch: Al Fayed case compared to Jimmy Savile as lawyers call Harrods owner 'monster'
Friday 20 September 2024 12:59 , Andy Gregory
Full report: Mohamed Al Fayed ‘combined most horrific parts of Savile, Epstein and Weinstein’
Friday 20 September 2024 13:18 , Andy Gregory
Barristers representing the alleged victims of Mohamed Al Fayed have said the case “combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”.
The late Harrods’ owner was described as a “monster” during a press conference held by the legal team featured in the BBC documentary Al-Fayed: Predator At Harrods.
You can read more in this report:
Mohamed Al Fayed ‘combined most horrific parts of Savile, Epstein and Weinstein’
Fulham FC investigating whether any victims at football club
Friday 20 September 2024 13:38 , Andy Gregory
Fulham Football Club have shared a statement after lawyers investigating allegations of sexual abuse by the club’s former owner Mohammad Al Fayed warned there could be victims “wherever he went”.
A Fulham FC spokesperson said: “We are deeply troubled and concerned to learn of the disturbing reports following yesterday’s documentary. We have sincere empathy for the women who have shared their experiences.
“We are in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is or has been affected. Should any person wish to share information or experiences relating to these allegations, we encourage them to contact the club at safeguardingfulhamfc.com or the police.”
We’re sad, says Fulham manager
Friday 20 September 2024 14:44 , Jane Dalton
The manager of Fulham says the football club was sad to hear the allegations about its owner Mohamed Al Fayed.
Marco Silva, when asked about the BBC documentary containing the rape and sex assault claims, said: “I haven’t watched it [the documentary]. I have had a conversation with Carmelo [Mifsud, the press officer], and of course the club have put a statement out. It’s always important for the club to put a statement out.
“From myself, and I’m speaking on behalf of the football club, it is really sad for us to hear. But there’s nothing more from me. The statement from the club was clear.”
Fayed security chief threatened victim into denying complaint, barrister says
Friday 20 September 2024 15:00 , Jane Dalton
Mohammed Al Fayed’s former head of security told an alleged victim “someone could jump out the bushes at you” after she complained to Harrods about a sexual assault, lawyers have said.
Barrister Maria Mulla told journalists of a client who was threatened by ex-security chief and former Scotland Yard detective chief superintendent John Macnamara.
The barrister said: “One woman that we represent was sexually assaulted, and she had the bravery and courage to raise this in a formal written complaint to Harrods.
“On the same day of making this written complaint, the head of security, John Macnamara, contacted her and said: ‘You are a girl alone in London. Someone could jump out the bushes at you, or you could have a sudden accident.
“‘You need to deny what you have said in the first letter, with a second letter, which you must drop off before noon the following day.’
“She of course did what she was told because she was absolutely petrified.”
Mr Macnamara died at the age of 83 in September 2019.
At least 37 women now say they were attacked by Fayed
Friday 20 September 2024 15:16 , Jane Dalton
Dozens of women have now come forward to allege rape or sexual assault against the former Harrods owner.
Barrister Dean Armstrong said the legal team had been retained by 37 accusers and was “in the process of being retained by many more”.
In BBC documentary Al-Fayed: Predator At Harrods, more than 20 female former employees told their stories as part of an investigation, including five who say they were raped.
Claims had previously been made but police had taken no action, it’s been reported.
But since the documentary, more women have spoken up.
Harrods 'was toxic, unsafe and abusive environment under predator’
Friday 20 September 2024 15:45 , Jane Dalton
US lawyer Gloria Allred described Harrods as a “toxic, unsafe and abusive environment” under Fayed’s chairmanship.
She told reporters that the allegations against him included serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery and sexual abuse of minors.
Ms Allred said: “They involved doctors administering invasive gynaecological exams as a condition of employment for some of the employees who were targeted by Mohamed al-Fayed for sexual abuse.”
The allegations also include the unauthorised disclosure to him of the examination results of employees he targeted for sexual abuse, she said.
Watch: Fayed case compared to Jimmy Savile as lawyers brand Harrods owner ‘monster’
Friday 20 September 2024 15:49 , Jane Dalton
Ritz Paris says staff must be treated with integrity
Friday 20 September 2024 15:57 , Jane Dalton
A spokeswoman for the Ritz Paris hotel, which Fayed owned, said: “The Ritz Paris strongly condemns any form of behaviour that does not align with the values of the establishment.
“The hotel upholds the highest standards of professionalism and has a steadfast commitment to fostering an environment where employees and guests are treated with respect and integrity.
“The safety and wellbeing of our employees and guests are our absolute priority.”
