Former Harrods boss Al Fayed was a “monster” who abused young women, say his accusers' lawyers

LONDON — Mohamed Al Fayed, the former boss of Harrods, was a “monster” who raped and sexually abused young women, lawyers for dozens of his accusers said Friday.

The abuse continued throughout much of Al Fayed's 25-year tenure – from 1985 – at the helm of the world-famous London department store, the lawyers said. They spoke at a televised news conference in London following the BBC documentary “Al-Fayed: Predator At Harrods.”

The four-member legal team told reporters that 37 of Al Fayed's accusers had hired them and were in the process of adding more clients, possibly including from other organizations in which Al Fayed was involved.

In the documentary, which aired on Thursday, Egyptian-born Al Fayed, who died last year aged 94, is accused of raping at least five women at his properties in London and Paris and of committing numerous other assaults and physical violence inside and outside Harrods.

“We say it very clearly: Mohamed Al Fayed was a monster,” said lead lawyer Dean Armstrong. “But he was a monster supported by a system, a system that permeated Harrods.”

Armstrong said the case brought together “some of the most horrific elements” from cases such as those of Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein – well-known and powerful men who were able to avoid allegations of sexual abuse for years before their victims finally came forward.

Some of Al Fayed's accusers were teenagers at the time of the abuse, and at least one was only 15 years old, according to the BBC documentary.

London's Metropolitan Police said it had already become aware of the allegations in the past and questioned Al Fayed in 2008 in connection with the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old. However, prosecutors did not pursue the case further at the time.