A BBC investigation has revealed that 65 more women have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against the late billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed, extending the timeline of alleged offenses back to 1977 and expanding the scope beyond his Harrods empire.
The new accounts, which surfaced following the broadcast of the documentary “Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods” and an accompanying podcast, include allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and rape. These reports suggest that Al Fayed, who died in 2023, employed a wider range of abusive tactics and targeted women both within and outside his business operations.
Several women interviewed by the BBC claim they were recruited under false pretenses for positions on Al Fayed’s domestic staff, only to be sexually exploited at his Oxted mansion. One woman, identified as Margot (name changed), described being hired as a nanny in 1985 but instead found herself trapped and repeatedly assaulted at Barrow Green Court.
“The job just didn’t exist. He didn’t need a nanny. He didn’t want a nanny,” Margot told the BBC, detailing how she was sexually assaulted in various locations on the estate before being raped in her room.
The earliest allegation dates back to 1977 in Dubai, where a woman claims Al Fayed personally stalked and threatened her. This predates his purchase of Harrods in 1985, which brought him to prominence in the UK.
Of the 65 new allegations, 37 come from former Harrods employees. In response, Harrods stated, “Since the airing of the documentary, so far there are 200+ individuals who are now in the Harrods process to settle claims directly with the business.”
The investigation also uncovered allegations from women not employed by Al Fayed, including a London flower shop worker who says she was flown to Paris under the guise of a job interview and assaulted at the Ritz. A former BBC makeup artist reported being sexually assaulted while working on a 1989 episode of the Clothes Show featuring Al Fayed.
These new revelations paint a picture of a predatory pattern spanning decades and crossing international borders. The accounts describe a man who used his wealth and power to manipulate situations, create false job opportunities, and intimidate victims into silence.
As more women come forward, the full extent of Al Fayed’s alleged abuses continues to unfold, raising questions about accountability and the systems that may have enabled such behavior to persist unchecked for so long.
bbc.com
