Harrods Sex Offender Timeline

A BBC investigation has brought to light decades-long serious allegations of sexual abuse against Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of the luxury department store Harrods.

The billionaire businessman, who died last year at the age of 94, was accused of multiple rapes and attempted rape by several women who worked for him – many of whom felt unable to report the incident until recently.

At the time of many of the alleged attacks, Fayed owned Harrods, the Ritz hotel in Paris and the football club Fulham FC.

He was a well-known public figure who had connections to senior politicians in Parliament and courted both royals and celebrities.

Here are some key dates from a period spanning nearly 40 years during which there were allegations about his behavior.

1985 – Mohamed Al Fayed buys the Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, London and becomes chairman.

1987 – In the 2024 BBC documentary, “Alice” tells the BBC that she was a victim of sexual abuse at the age of 16 and worked as Fayed’s personal assistant – a position she held until 1991.

1988–1991 – “He was disgusting,” says another of the women, “Sophia,” who worked as his personal assistant during those years. She says he tried to rape her more than once.

1990s – “Rachel” – a woman who worked as Fayed's personal assistant in the 1990s – says in the same BBC documentary that the billionaire raped her in his luxury apartment overlooking Hyde Park in west London.

1994 – The “Cash for questions“A scandal breaks out in Westminster. Fayed goes public and admits to having paid two Conservative MPs to ask questions in Parliament.

1994–1995 “Steve,” who was working for the billionaire at the time, tells the BBC in the documentary “2024” that security staff “knew that certain things were happening to certain female employees at Harrods and Park Lane.”

1995 – Vanity Fair publishes an article accusing Fayed of racism, staff surveillance and sexual misconduct towards Harrods employees.

Fayed sued for defamation, prompting Vanity Fair editor Henry Porter to launch a two-year investigation. According to Vanity Fair documents and statements obtained by the BBC, allegations of sexual harassment and assault have been made against several women.

1997 – Fayed buys the then third division club Fulham FC for a reported 30 million pounds.

In MayFayed is taking steps to withdraw his lawsuit against Vanity Fair following negotiations between publisher Condé Nast UK and Harrods executive Michael Cole, a former BBC journalist.

Princess Diana and her son Dodi Al Fayed die in a car accident in Paris August.

In an article for the Observer on SundayMr Porter said Condé Nast owner Si Newhouse had agreed to drop the case “out of respect for the grieving father”.

The evidence collected by Vanity Fair about Fayed's alleged activities is being kept safe by Mr Porter, who has now given access to it to journalists – including BBC documentary makers, he writes in the Observer.

In December In the same year, ITV's The Big Story reported further serious allegations, including sexual harassment and groping, which is classed as sexual assault.

Fayed issues an angry statement claiming the allegations are outrageous and untrue. He claims he had no input into the broadcast as he had no way of knowing about the allegations in advance.

1998 – Another former BBC journalist, biographer Tom Bower, publishes “Fayed: The Unauthorised Biography” featuring more women alleging sexual assault.

Fayed's official spokesman at the time, Michael Cole, called it “a mockery of the truth” and said: “We helped Tom and then he betrayed all that help.”

2008 – One of the women in the BBC investigation, “Ellie” (not her real name), was 15 when she reported an assault to police in 2008 – an allegation that made headlines but did not lead to any charges.

2009 – In the 2024 BBC documentary, Gemma, who worked as one of Fayed's personal assistants between 2007 and 2009, said his behaviour became increasingly frightening when he travelled abroad on business. She said his attacks culminated in her rape at the Windsor villa in Paris's Bois de Boulogne.

2010 – Mohamed Al Fayed sells Harrods to the Qatar Investment Authority for a reported £1.5 billion. A Channel 4 Dispatches programme in which several women attempted to make allegations was cancelled.

2013 – July: Fayed sells Fulham FC to Shahid Khan, owner of NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars in a deal reportedly in the range of £150-200 million.

A woman in her twenties claims Fayed raped her. Police are investigating but no charges will be brought against him.

2015 – The mirror publishes an article about the 2013 allegationsThe Metropolitan Police confirmed it had re-examined the case after new information emerged, but again no charges were brought.

2017 – Channel 4 airs a report in which three women allege groping, assault and sexual harassment. One woman waives her right to anonymity for the first time.

2018 – News from Channel 4 follows the film Dispatches, after more women step forwardincluding a then 15-year-old employee. Fayed's lawyers deny the allegations regarding the child as “false” and say he cannot comment on the other allegations.

2018–2023 – Police examined the statements of three other women during this period. The public prosecutor's office was called in to advise investigators, but a complete file of evidence was never handed over to prosecutors. as first reported in the Sunday Times in September 2024.

2023 – In JulyHarrods begins settling claims with women who have accused Fayed of sexual assault.

Mohammed Al-Fayed dies at the age of 94 in London in August 2023.

2024 – The BBC documentary “Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods” broadcast in September Several women are suing Fayed for sexual abuse.

The BBC heard testimony from more than 20 women who made allegations ranging from sexual assault to rape. Five of them said they had been raped.

Harrods has already reached financial agreements with most of the customers who have approached the company since 2023 and received new enquiries this week.

Harrods accepts vicarious liability for Fayed's actions and the settlements are not accompanied by any confidentiality agreements.

The current owners of Harrods said earlier this week They are “deeply appalled by the allegations of abuse made by Mohamed Al Fayed.”

“These were the actions of an individual seeking to abuse his power wherever he operated and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms,” ​​they said in response to the BBC investigation.

“We also recognize that his victims were let down during this time and for that we sincerely apologize. We are doing everything we can to make amends.”

At a press conference on September 20, lawyer Gloria Allred said the “ugly truth” was that Harrods had been “a toxic, unsafe and abusive environment” under Mr Al Fayed's presidency.

She added: “The allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed include serial rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse of minors.”

“The allegations include cover-ups, threats and a quarter of a century of sexual abuse by Mohamed Al Fayed after he bought Harrods and became its chairman.”