Five female employees who worked at Harrods, owned by Mohamed Al Fayed at the time, have accused him of ra.pe during their time at the luxury London department store
According to The BBC, they have heard testimony from more than 20 female ex-employees who say the billionaire, who d!ed last year aged 94, se.xu.ally assaulted them – including ra.pe.
The documentary and podcast – Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods – gathered evidence that, during Fayed’s ownership, Harrods not only failed to intervene, but helped cover up abuse allegations.
Harrods’ current owners said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations and that his victims had been failed – for which the store sincerely apologised.
“The spider’s web of corruption and abuse in this company was unbelievable and very dark,” says barrister Bruce Drummond, from a legal team representing a number of the women.
The incidents took place in London, Paris, St Tropez and Abu Dhabi.
“I made it obvious that I didn’t want that to happen. I did not give consent. I just wanted it to be over,” says one of the women, who says Fayed ra.ped her at his Park Lane apartment.
Another woman says she was a teenager when he ra.ped her at the Mayfair address.
“Mohamed Al Fayed was a monster, a se.xu.al predator with no moral compass whatsoever,” she says, adding that all the staff at Harrods were his “playthings”.
“We were all so scared. He actively cultivated fear. If he said ‘jump’ employees would ask ‘how high’.”
Fayed faced se.xu.al assault claims while he was alive, but these allegations are of unprecedented scale and seriousness. The BBC believes many more women may have been assaulted.
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