What we know about Mohammed Al Fayed rape claims and alleged cover-up
The former Harrods owner, who died in 2023, has been compared to Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.
A lawyer for survivors who have accused the late Mohamed Al Fayed of sexual abuse said he had "never seen a case as horrific as this".
Speaking at a press conference on Friday morning, Dean Armstrong KC, representing the survivors, said: "We will say it plainly - Mohamed Al Fayed was a monster. He was a monster. But he was a monster enabled by a system, a system that pervaded Harrods."
The press conference came following a BBC documentary about former Harrods boss Al Fayed that aired on Thursday evening, in which survivors claimed they had been raped, trafficked and assaulted by the billionaire - and that Harrods covered up the abuse.
Armstrong said the case of Al Fayed “combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”. He said: “I have many years of practice… I have never seen a case as horrific as this."
He quoted the BBC documentary in which a manager alleged that anyone who said they did not know what was happening "was lying", and said the survivors were claiming "a failure of corporate responsibility" by the Knightsbridge department store.
He added: "We welcome the admission at the end of the programme that they had ‘failed these women’. However, they also claim that they didn’t know about Al Fayed's behaviour until 2023. We will say it plainly - that is simply not true."
Al Fayed sold Harrods in 2010, and it is currently owned by the Qatar Investment Authority.
What we know
The BBC has said it has spoken to 21 alleged victims so far. Thirteen reported being sexually assaulted in Al Fayed's Park Lane apartment in London, with four saying they were raped. Eight said they were assaulted in Paris.
Armstrong told the press conference that the legal team has been retained by 37 accusers and is “in the process of being retained by many more”.
The BBC investigation is not the first time Al Fayed’s alleged sexual misconduct has been in the spotlight. He was the subject of pieces by Vanity Fair in 1995, ITV in 1997 and Channel 4 in 2017 and 2018.
In 2009, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), then led by Sir Keir Starmer, elected not to prosecute Al Fayed following claims he had sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in Harrods. A 2015 police investigation did not lead to any charges.
The legal team representing many of Al Fayed’s accusers includes barristers Dean Armstrong, Maria Mulla, Bruce Drummond and Gloria Allred, a renowned US lawyer and women’s rights advocate. Armstrong said they will work to ensure Harrods “take responsibility” and “set matters right”.
They said they were "not aware" of any executive staff from Al Fayed’s time at Harrods still working for the company.
Allred said the allegations against Al Fayed include serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery, and sexual abuse of minors.
Mulla also confirmed employees at other businesses owned by Al Fayed have made allegations. “We also represent women who were employed by the Ritz [the Paris hotel he owned]."
The lawyers said they are investigating Fulham Football Club - which Al Fayed owned between 1997 and 2013 - and other companies owned by the late billionaire.
A former manager of the Premier League side's women's team from 2001 to 2003, Gaute Haugenes, claimed in a separate BBC interview on Saturday that Fulham put extra precautions in place to protect players from Al Fayed.
The legal team said on Saturday morning that it had received over 150 new inquiries since the BBC documentary aired. They relate to a "mix of survivors and individuals with evidence about Al Fayed", a spokesperson confirmed to the Press Association.
What has Harrods said?
In a statement addressing the allegations, Harrods has said: “We are utterly appalled by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al Fayed. These were the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated and we condemn them in the strongest terms. We also acknowledge that during this time as a business, we failed our employees who were his victims and for this we sincerely apologise.
“The Harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010; it is one that seeks to put the welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do.
“This is why, since new information came to light in 2023 about historic allegations of sexual abuse by Al Fayed, it has been our priority to settle claims in the quickest way possible, avoiding lengthy legal proceedings for the women involved. This process is still available for any current or former Harrods employees.
“While we cannot undo the past, we have been determined to do the right thing as an organisation, driven by the values we hold today, while ensuring that such behaviour can never be repeated in the future.”
What have Fulham FC 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," the club said in a statement on Friday.
"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 safeguarding@fulhamfc.com, or the police."
What do we know about the police investigations?
Police twice presented files of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service on Al Fayed - in 2009 and 2015 - but the CPS decided not to prosecute on both occasions because there was not a "realistic prospect of conviction".
"To bring a prosecution the CPS must be confident there is a realistic prospect of conviction - in each instance our prosecutors looked carefully at the evidence and concluded this wasn't the case," a spokesperson said.
Sir Keir Starmer was head of the CPS from 2008 to 2013, but Downing Street has said the PM "did not handle this case" and it "did not cross his desk".
The CPS also provided early investigative advice to the Metropolitan Police in 2018, 2021 and 2023 following allegations made against Al Fayed. However, a full file of evidence was never presented to the CPS by police and no further action was taken.
The Metropolitan Police said it had investigated "various allegations of sexual offences made over a number of years" against Al Fayed, but "no charges" were brought.
The force added that "if any further information comes to light it will be assessed and investigated accordingly".
What we don't know
The full extent of Al Fayed’s alleged crimes is not known. The BBC has said it believes many more women may have been assaulted. Lawyers representing the alleged victims have set up a “Harrods Survivors” website as a point of contact for any others who wish to come forward. Harrods has also set up its own “response” page.
It is not known what - if any - action Harrods took in response to previous allegations against Al Fayed, though barrister Bruce Drummond told the press conference “we say beyond peradventure that those who controlled Harrods knew of Mohamed Al Fayed’s inappropriate behaviour”.
Meanwhile, the full extent of police probes into Al Fayed's alleged crimes is not known, a point made by Armstrong. "It is clear, and was clear from the documentary, that the police were involved… in this case. The extent of their involvement, unsurprisingly, I’m not privy to. But we know that a complaint was made [by a 15-year-old girl against Al Fayed]." He added he was not criticising the police.
It is also not known how much money is being sought from Harrods. The company said "it has been our priority to settle claims in the quickest way possible" and Armstrong said compensation would be “welcome” - while adding "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.”
Read more
Al Fayed sex abuse victim fights back tears as she recalls how Harrods boss paralysed her with fear (The Independent)
Al Fayed – billionaire whose alleged abuse has been under spotlight for years (PA Media)
Mohamed Al Fayed 'monster enabled by Harrods' - all the vile claims of his 'vast web of abuse' (Evening Standard)
