Mohamed Al-Fayed, the former owner of Harrods, has recently been hit with serious accusations of sexual assault.
The claims, which have emerged following his death in September 2023 at the age of 94, involve multiple women who allege that Al-Fayed sexually assaulted them during their employment at the luxury department store.
Mohamed Al-Fayed Accused of Sexual Assault
The BBC reports that at least five women have accused Al-Fayed of rape, while over 20 former employees have come forward with claims of various forms of sexual misconduct. These allegations span several locations, including London, St. Tropez, Abu Dhabi, and Paris.
The upcoming BBC documentary ‘Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods‘, set to air on September 19, will delve into these allegations, presenting evidence that suggests Harrods may have been complicit in covering up the abuse.
In response to the allegations, Harrods issued a statement expressing its shock and condemnation.
“We are deeply appalled by the claims against Mohamed Al-Fayed. His actions were a misuse of power, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms. We acknowledge that we failed to protect the victims during his tenure and offer our sincere apologies,” the statement read.
Harrods also emphasized that the store has undergone significant changes since Al-Fayed’s ownership.
Five women claim to have been raped
Among the allegations, one woman claims that Al-Fayed raped her in his London apartment despite her clear refusal.
Another accuser, who was a teenager at the time, describes being raped in Al-Fayed’s Mayfair residence and experiencing a pervasive atmosphere of fear.
Sophia, a former personal assistant, reports multiple instances of sexual assault and an attempted rape by Al-Fayed.
Gemma, another former assistant, alleges that she was raped at Al-Fayed’s Paris home, Villa Windsor, and was coerced into destroying evidence and signing a non-disclosure agreement in return for a settlement when she left her job.
Tony Leeming, a former Harrods manager, acknowledged being aware of some abuse occurring at the store but claimed he did not know about the more serious allegations.
The BBC’s documentary brings these serious claims into the spotlight and has prompted a reevaluation of Al-Fayed’s legacy. Many of the women who have come forward did so after seeing his portrayal in The Crown, which depicted his son Dodi’s relationship with Princess Diana and their tragic deaths in 1997.
The latest season of The Crown shows the Egyptian billionaire pushing his son Dodi into a relationship with Princess Diana as part of a strategy to finally obtain British citizenship after two failed applications.
In the series, he is also accused of hiring paparazzo Mario Brenna to photograph Dodi and Diana kissing on the yacht.
Al-Fayed strongly believed that his son’s death was the result of a conspiracy and a plot by the British Crown, which did not accept the princess’s affair with his son and had planned his murder to prevent the relationship from continuing and becoming a public scandal.
Mohamed Al-Fayed Net Worth
Al Fayed died at the age of 94 on August 30, 2023 and left a personal fortune estimated at more than $500 million.
However, after his death, a family war broke out over the inheritance, as the children did not get along with each other.
Mohamed Al-Fayed children
The Egyptian businessman had five children Jasmine, Karim, Camilla and Omar and the late Dodi.
Jasmine is a fashion designer with little recognition, Karim is deaf and runs a clinic for the hearing impaired, Camilla owns a vegan restaurant in London and Omar is a space exploration entrepreneur.