Former Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed accused of rape and sexual assault by former employees

Five former employees of Harrods, the iconic London department store, have accused Mohamed Al-Fayed, the Egyptian businessman and former owner, of rape. Several others have alleged sexual assault in a BBC investigation that is set to air on Thursday.

A total of 20 women have come forward in the documentary titled "Al-Fayed: A Predator at Harrods", which will be broadcast at 9:00 PM (8:00 PM GMT) on BBC Two. The women accuse Al-Fayed of attempted rapes, physical violence, and sexual assaults during the late 1980s through the 2000s, while he owned Harrods.

According to the BBC, Al-Fayed had previously faced similar accusations, and police opened an investigation in 2015 for rape. However, he was never charged. Al-Fayed, who was the father of Dodi Al-Fayed, the final romantic partner of Princess Diana, died a year ago at the age of 94.

The documentary also implicates Harrods, which was later purchased by the Qatar Investment Authority, accusing the luxury store of failing to intervene at the time and attempting to cover up the scandal. In a statement, Harrods’ current management expressed being "absolutely appalled" and firmly condemned the actions of its former owner, apologizing for "letting down the employees who were his victims."

Multiple Accusations of Rape and Sexual Assault

Five women accuse Al-Fayed of raping them, either in London or Paris, while five others claim he attempted to rape them. Thirteen women allege that Al-Fayed sexually assaulted them in his apartments near Hyde Park in London, where he frequently asked female staff members to work late. Nine women accuse him of similar assaults at his villa in Paris.

One of the victims, using the pseudonym Rachel, was only 19 at the time. She recalls staying overnight in one of Al-Fayed's apartments after he insisted she work late. He then invited her into his bedroom, where he forced her to sit on the bed and grabbed her.

"I made it clear that I didn’t want it to happen. I didn’t consent (…) he raped me," Rachel told the BBC.

According to Tony Leeming, a former Harrods executive, Al-Fayed’s inappropriate behavior was widely known, and his groping of staff members had even become a subject of jokes within the company.

"Everyone knew about it," Leeming told the BBC.

Harrods has stated that it is now a "very different organization" and, starting in 2023, began seeking amicable settlements with victims to help them avoid lengthy court cases.

Mohamed Al-Fayed, born on January 27, 1929, in a modest suburb of Alexandria, Egypt, spent much of his life in Britain. He became the owner of Harrods in 1985 and also owned the Fulham Football Club from 1997 to 2013. 

Despite his significant influence in Britain, his legacy is now overshadowed by these serious allegations of sexual misconduct.

The airing of this BBC documentary could lead to further scrutiny of his actions during his ownership of Harrods and possibly spark more legal proceedings or public reckoning regarding his behavior during his time in power.