Britain: The late owner of Harrods al-Fayed is accused of rape

 

Egyptian billionaire Mohamed al-Fayed, the former owner of the luxury London department store Harrods, has been accused of rape and sexual assault by several women who worked there, the BBC reported today.


The allegations, made in a BBC documentary and podcast, are the latest to come to light involving powerful figures since the #MeToo movement emerged in 2017.

Fayed, who died last year in aged 94, was a prominent figure in British life for decades because he owned Harrods, which he bought in 1985, as well as the Fulham football club from 1997 to 2013. The authorities had repeatedly denied him British citizenship.





Fayed was a close friend of the late Princess Diana, and his son Dodi was killed with her in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Five women have claimed he raped him, according to the documentary, "Al Fayed: A Predator at Harrods," which is to be shown later today. The documentary gathered evidence that while Fayed owned the department store, Harrods management not only did not intervene, but helped to cover up the complaints.

Fayed has previously been accused of sexually assaulting and molesting several women, but a 2015 police investigation into a rape complaint led to no charges. The BBC believes many more women may have fallen victim to it.

More than 20 women spoke to the BBC as part of a special investigation and alleged assault and physical violence by him at venues in London, Paris, St Tropez and Abu Dhabi.

The late multi-millionaire often walked through the department store's sales floor and spotted young saleswomen he found attractive, who were then promoted to his offices on the highest floors, former Harrods employees, both female and male, told the documentary.

The attacks took place in those offices, in his London flat or on trips abroad – often at the Ritz Hotel in Paris which he also owned, or at his neighboring estate, Villa Windsor.

The current owners of Harrods expressed their "absolute disgust" at the allegations and added: "As a business we let down our employees who were victimized by him and for that we sincerely apologise."

Fayed sold the famous department store in London's expensive Knightsbridge district in 2010 to Qatar's sovereign wealth fund for £1.5bn.