Former Harrods Owner Mohamed Al-Fayed Labelled “Sexual Predator”; Met Police Urges Victims to Come Forward
Since Mohamed Al-Fayed’s death in 2023, a startling number of former Harrods employees have alleged instances of sexual abuse against him. Such sexual abuse has varied from serial rapes to sexual assaults and spanned the 25 years of his ownership.
In this article, we consider the allegations against Mohamed al-Fayed and what is likely to happen next.
Who Was Mohamed Al-Fayed?
Mohamed Al-Fayed, born in January 1929 was an Egyptian businessman. His entrepreneurial career commenced on the streets in that city, where he used to sell fizzy drinks to passers-by. In 1954, he married his first wife, Samira Khashoggi, the sister of a millionaire Saudi Arabian businessman and arms dealer. Harrods’ late former owner then moved to Genoa, Italy, in 1958, and subsequently to London, England, in 1974.
Al-Fayed’s business empire began to grow exponentially, and he acquired a number of prestigious businesses. These include the Ritz Hotel in Paris in 1979 and House of Fraser, the holding company which owned Harrods Department Store, in 1985. And so commenced his reign of terror until his sale of the store to Qatar Holding in 2010.
Mohamed Al-Fayed had numerous clashes with the establishment over the years. These relate to solvency, his involvement in the Cash for Questions scandal in 1994, and the death of his son, Dodi, alongside Princess Diana, in 1997. In that year he was also included as one of Britain’s wealthiest individuals on The Sunday Times’ annual list.
Harrods’ late owner died on 30 August 2023, aged 94, leaving behind his wife, Heini, four children (minus Dodi), and numerous grandchildren. At that time, he was described as a “fascinating and larger than life” character who was “full of humanity” by Michael Cole, former director for public affairs at Harrods.
However, since his death, many concerning allegations have been raised regarding Al-Fayed’s conduct as Harrods’ late owner.
Mohamed Al-Fayed Compared to The Likes of Epstein and Jimmy Savile
Following his death last year, a positive torrent of allegations has been made against him by former Harrods employees. These have included accusations of rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault. To date, nearly 40 women have alleged sexual abuse against Mohamed Al-Fayed, putting this corporate sexual exploitation on a par with the likes of Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein, and Harvey Weinstein.
The BBC interviewed many former Harrods employees for a documentary on the sexual abuse, which aired last week. They branded Mohamed Al-Fayed “a monster” and “a sexual predator with no moral compass whatsoever”. Some recalled how Al-Fayed “actively cultivated fear”, and that his consistent sexual abuse of female employees “wasn’t even a secret”.
Former employees spoke about Mohamed Al-Fayed’s habit of touring the Harrods store and selecting specific members of staff to work in his personal office. According to former deputy director of security, Eamon Coyle, “he had this very strong interest in young girls”, whilst a colleague recalls “certain things were happening to certain female employees at Harrods”.
Alleged victims recounted events surrounding the sexual assaults. One employee recounts being summoned to Mohamed al-Fayed’s apartment in Park Lane, where he asked her to sit on his bed before raping her. A former personal assistant recalls travelling to Paris with Mohamed al-Fayed on a work trip and waking to find him beside her bed. He ignored her protests and pinned her down to rape her.
Mohamed al-Fayed’s control even extended to surveillance of employees at work: recording phone calls and installing cameras. A former head of security confirmed: “He bugged everybody that he wanted to bug.”
The BBC has produced a timeline of allegations against and investigations into Mohamed al-Fayed and his corporate sexual exploitation at Harrods.
Previous Attempts to Expose The Former Harrods Owner
There were a number of attempts to expose Mohamed al-Fayed and his corporate sexual exploitation during his lifetime. In 1995, Vanity Fair produced an article alleging sexual abuse, racism, and employee surveillance at the luxury department store. Al-Fayed brought a claim for libel against the magazine but later agreed to drop the claim so long as all evidence was locked away.
In 1997, ITV reported instances of sexual harassment and sexual assaults at Harrods, but no action resulted. An allegation of sexual assault by a then 15-year-old girl in 2008 made headline news. Although this incident was reported to the police, no charges were brought against Mohamed al-Fayed. This was also the case after the Mirror published an article alleging sexual abuse in 2015.
Channel 4’s Dispatches reported allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment at Harrods in 2017. This gave more women the courage to speak up about their experiences for the first time. A follow-up investigation was conducted by Channel 4 News in 2018.
Between 2018 and 2023, The Sunday Times reports that the police conducted an investigation into alleged sexual assaults brought by three women against Mohamed al-Fayed. Apparently, the Crown Prosecution Service were consulted, but a full file of evidence was not provided, and charges were never brought.
What is Happening Regarding the Allegations Against Mohamed Al-Fayed?
On 19 September, the BBC aired a documentary about Mohamed al-Fayed and the sexual abuse allegedly suffered by many at his hands. Since then, still more alleged victims have come forward to tell their stories, each as horrific as the next.
On 20 September, a number of barristers announced the intention of 37 women to bring a claim against Harrods for the sexual abuse they experienced from Harrods’ late owner. The civil case will be brought on the basis that Harrods put in place a system to protect the Harrods’ late owner during his decades of sexual abuse.
Gloria Allred, called by some of the world’s leading women’s rights attorneys, has dubbed Harrods a “toxic, unsafe, and abusive environment”. Speaking about the allegations, she said they included “serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery, and sexual abuse of minors. They involve doctors administering invasive gynaecological exams as a condition of employment…”.
Harrods has released a public statement in response to the extensive publicity that these allegations of sexual assault have received. This states – “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.”
With respect to the actions of the corporation itself, the statement “sincerely apologises” for “fail[ing] our employees who were his victims”. It continues: “The Harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed… It is one that seeks to put the welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do.”
Reporting to Met Police
The Met Police has already investigated 19 allegations and are urging more victims to come forward if they haven’t before. All the details can be found on their website in a statement issued on 26th September.
How Redmans Can Help
If you have experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment at work, Redmans Solicitors would be pleased to advise you. Our friendly team of employment law experts will arrange an initial consultation with you, during which they will be able to explain your options.
To begin the process, you can either:
- Call us on 020 3397 3603; or
- Complete our Online Form.