The managing director of Harrods expressed deep regret for the failure to protect employees who claim they were sexually assaulted by the late owner, Mohamed Al Fayed. Michael Ward stated that Al Fayed had overseen a toxic environment of secrecy, intimidation, fear, and sexual misconduct during his time at the London department store. Five women have come forward to the BBC alleging rape by Al Fayed, with several others reporting incidents of assault and physical violence. Legal representatives for the alleged victims have stated that they are now representing 37 women, and more are coming forward with their accounts.
Ward admitted that although rumors about Al Fayed’s behavior were circulating publicly during the four years he worked for the owner, he was not aware of the criminality and abuse. Al Fayed, who passed away at the age of 94 last year, owned Harrods for 25 years before selling it in 2010 to a company owned by the state of Qatar. Harrods has established a settlement process for the victims of Al Fayed’s actions, acknowledging their failure to protect their employees during that period.
The Metropolitan Police in London have confirmed their awareness of previous allegations and revealed that Al Fayed was questioned in 2008 regarding the reported sexual abuse of a 15-year-old. However, no prosecution took place at that time. The family of Al Fayed has not issued any public statements regarding these recent revelations.
Mohamed Al Fayed, originally from Egypt, relocated to the UK in the 1960s and purchased Harrods in the mid-1980s, transforming it into a renowned retail destination in London’s upscale Knightsbridge district. Beyond his business ventures, Al Fayed gained recognition through his ownership of the Fulham Football Club. He garnered significant media attention following the tragic deaths of his son, Dodi, and Princess Diana in a Paris car accident in 1997.
Al Fayed actively promoted the theory that the Royal Family orchestrated the crash due to their disapproval of Diana dating an Egyptian. However, official investigations in both the UK and France concluded that the accident resulted from the reckless driving of the couple’s chauffeur, an employee of the Ritz Hotel in Paris (also owned by Al Fayed), coupled with the paparazzi pursuing them. Despite the conspiracy theories that prevailed, the investigations found no evidence of foul play involving the Royal Family.
