London (AFP) – Multiple women have accused Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed, the former owner of upmarket London department store Harrods where they worked, of rape and sexual assault, the BBC said on Thursday. The allegations, made in a BBC documentary and podcast, are the latest to be levelled at powerful figures following the start of the #MeToo movement in 2017.
Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, was a prominent figure in British life for decades due to his ownership of Harrods. A confidant of the late Princess Diana, his son Dodi died alongside her in a car crash in Paris in 1997. More than 20 women have spoken to the BBC as part of a special investigation alleging assault and physical violence at properties in London and Paris. Five women said they had been raped by him, according to the documentary “Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods,” due to be broadcast later Thursday and the “World of Secrets” podcast.
Fayed had previously been accused of sexually assaulting and groping multiple women, but a 2015 police investigation into a rape allegation did not lead to any charges. Harrods’ current owners said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse, adding: “As a business we failed our employees who were his victims and for this we sincerely apologise.”
In July 2023, Harrods began settling claims with women who came forward with claims of sexual abuse by Fayed from the late 1980s to late 2000s. Fayed sold the famous store in Knightsbridge in 2010 to the investment arm of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund for a reported £1.5 billion ($2.2 billion).
© 2024 AFP
