The BBC reports that five women have accused the late Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed of rape when they worked at the luxury London department store. More than 20 female ex-employees say the billionaire, who died last year aged 94, sexually assaulted or raped them. The information came to light in the documentary and podcast, Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods, which gathered evidence that, during Fayed’s ownership, Harrods not only failed to intervene, but helped cover up abuse allegations.
Harrods’ current owners asserted that they had no knowledge of the abuse and said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations and that his victims had not been protected, for which the store is sincerely apologizing. “The spider’s web of corruption and abuse in this company was unbelievable and very dark,” says barrister Bruce Drummond, from a legal team representing a number of the women. Since this article was first published, more former Harrods employees have contacted the BBC saying Mohammed Al Fayed assaulted them.
These allegations were part of a broader narrative of controversy that surrounded Al Fayed, including his claims that that his son Dodi, was about to announce his engagement to Princess Diana, that the deaths of Dodi and Princess Diana were caused by the Royal House of Windsor, and that the Windsors covered up crucial incriminating information regarding their role in the deaths. From 1997, when the accident occurred, to his dying day, Al Fayed persecuted and sl.