Harrods apologizes for sexual abuse allegations against former owner, world news

LONDON – London luxury department store Harrods has apologized for allegations that its former owner, Egyptian billionaire businessman Mohamed Al Fayed, raped and sexually abused several former female employees.

A BBC documentary and podcast heard testimony from over 20 former female employees who said Mr Al Fayed, who died in 2023 at the age of 94, sexually abused them. The incidents occurred in London, Paris, St. Tropez and Abu Dhabi.

One of the women who accused Mr Al Fayed of raping her as a teenager described him as a “monster”: “He actively stoked fear.”

According to the BBC documentary, which aired on September 19, Harrods failed to intervene and helped cover up allegations of abuse when Al Fayed owned the company between 1985 and 2010. All of the women the BBC spoke to said they felt intimidated at work.

“We are deeply appalled by the allegations of abuse of power by Mohamed Al Fayed,” Harrods said in a statement. “These were the actions of an individual who sought to abuse his power.”

“We also recognise that his victims were let down during this time and for that we sincerely apologise,” Harrods said, adding that the department store is now a “very different organisation” to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed.

Several media outlets have made allegations of sexual abuse against Mr Al Fayed in the past, including Vanity Fair in 1995, ITV in 1997 and Channel 4 in 2017. Many of the women did not feel able to speak publicly until after his death in 2023.

Settlement of legal claims

“Since new information came to light in 2023 about historical allegations of sexual abuse by Al Fayed, our priority has been to resolve the claims as quickly as possible and avoid lengthy legal proceedings for the women affected,” Harrods said. The process remains available to all current or former Harrods employees.

In 2009, prosecutors decided not to press charges against Mr Al Fayed for allegedly sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl in his shop, arguing that there was “no realistic prospect of conviction”.

He voluntarily appeared for police questioning under reservations and has always denied the allegations.

Mr Al Fayed sold Harrods to the Qatari royal family's investment company in 2010. The deal was reportedly worth around £1.5 billion (Singapore dollars 2.58 billion).

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Born in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, Al Fayed began his career selling soft drinks and then worked as a sewing machine salesman. He built his family's fortune in real estate, shipping and construction, first in the Middle East and then in Europe.

For ten years he tried to prove that Princess Diana and his son Dodi were murdered when their car crashed in a Paris road tunnel in 1997 as they tried to escape paparazzi photographers on motorbikes.

His claims were not supported by any evidence, according to the investigation into Princess Diana's death.