London’s Metropolitan Police announced Wednesday it has identified 90 alleged victims in a sexual assault investigation of late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed, with more than 400 women and witnesses coming forward following a BBC documentary aired in September.
The Met has established a dedicated unit to “review all reports and pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry” after the documentary detailed multiple claims of rape and sexual assault against the Egyptian billionaire, who died in August 2022 at age 94. The number of potential victims has increased from the 60 previously identified by police.
Detectives are investigating “a number of individuals associated with” Al Fayed, examining their potential roles in “assisting and facilitating” any offenses while reviewing more than 50,000 pages of evidence, including victim statements.
“This investigation is about giving survivors a voice, despite the fact that Mohamed Al Fayed is no longer alive to face prosecution,” said Commander Stephen Clayman of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command. “However, we are now pursuing any individuals suspected to have been complicit in his offending.”
The investigation has led to broader scrutiny of historical complaints, with the Met referring itself to the UK police watchdog after two women complained about previous handling of Al Fayed abuse allegations. Recent weeks have seen accusations emerge against his late brother Salah Fayed, who died in 2010, while The New York Times published claims that another brother, Ali, 80, knew about alleged “trafficking” of women.
