Harrods issued an apology to its employees for the alleged sexual abuse that took place under the ownership of Mohamed Al Fayed. The department store, which was purchased by Al Fayed in the mid-1980s, saw dozens of employees come forward with reports of sexual and physical abuse by the late businessman, who passed away last year at the age of 94. Five women have claimed they were raped by Al Fayed, while others allege acts of assault and physical violence. Attorneys for the alleged victims have been retained by 37 women and are continuing to investigate the claims.
In a statement released by Harrods, Managing Director Michael Ward expressed deep regret over the failure to protect employees during the time of Al Fayed’s ownership. He acknowledged that the store had a history of a toxic culture of secrecy, intimidation, fear of repercussion, and sexual misconduct while Al Fayed was in charge. Ward stated that the Harrods of today is unrecognizable to the establishment under Al Fayed’s ownership and expressed sorrow for the experiences of the victims. He admitted that there were rumors about Al Fayed’s behavior circulating in the public domain during his time working for him, but he was not aware of the extent of the criminality and abuse.
London’s Metropolitan Police revealed that they had received allegations from 19 women regarding sexual abuse by Al Fayed between 2005 and 2023. These allegations included reports of rape, sexual assault, and trafficking. Investigations into Al Fayed’s conduct were conducted in 2008, 2009, and 2015, but he was never charged with any criminal offenses. The police are currently reviewing the allegations to determine if there is any new evidence that can be pursued. They urged other victims to come forward and provide information to assist in the investigation.
Mohamed Al Fayed, who was originally from Egypt and became a prominent figure in Britain through his ownership of Harrods and the London football team Fulham, was implicated in several scandals over the years. One of the most high-profile incidents involved the death of his son, film producer Dodi Al Fayed, and Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris in 1997. Al Fayed promoted a conspiracy theory that the royal family was responsible for the accident due to their disapproval of Diana dating Dodi. However, investigations into the crash determined that it was caused by the actions of the driver and paparazzi chasing the couple.
Despite his reputation being tarnished by these controversies, Mohamed Al Fayed continued to be a prominent figure in British society until his passing. The recent revelations of sexual abuse allegations have brought to light a dark chapter in the history of Harrods under his ownership. Harrods’ apology to the victims and the acknowledgment of the failure to protect employees during that time serve as a step towards accountability and justice for those who suffered under Al Fayed’s reign. The ongoing investigations by law enforcement will hopefully shed more light on the extent of the abuse and hold responsible parties accountable for their actions.
