Harrods, now under Qatari ownership, issues apology for abuse of power when the store was under al-Fayed's control.
Thirty-seven women have accused the late Mohamed al-Fayed, the former boss of London department store Harrods, of rape and sexual assault, while his lawyers say they expect “many more” to file civil claims.
At a news conference in London on Friday, lawyers representing the women described the Egyptian-born businessman, who died last year aged 94, as a “monster” who abused the women and girls he employed during the 25 years he owned the luxury store from 1985 to 2010.
The allegations against al-Fayed were made public by the BBC in a documentary called Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods, broadcast on Thursday, and on the broadcaster's World of Secrets podcast, in which more than 20 women alleged that he assaulted them and was physically violent towards them at properties in London, Paris, Saint Tropez and Abu Dhabi.
One of Al Fayed’s accusers, known as Natacha, told the news conference that the billionaire businessman was “very manipulative” and “preyed on the most vulnerable, those of us who needed to pay rent and some of us who didn’t have parents to protect us.”
In July 2023, Harrods, which was sold in 2010 to the investment arm of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, began settling claims with women who came forward alleging sexual abuse by al-Fayed.
The shop's current owners issued an apology in a statement to the BBC documentary, saying they were “totally appalled” by the abuse allegations.
“As a company, we failed our employees, who were victims, and for that we sincerely apologize,” they said.
“While we cannot undo the past, we are determined to do the right thing as an organization, guided by the values we stand for today, while ensuring that this type of behavior cannot be repeated in the future.”
The department store is a “very different organization” than the one owned and controlled by Al-Fayed, they said, describing the alleged crimes as “the actions of an individual who intended to abuse his power.”
At Friday's press event, lead lawyer Dean Armstrong disputed Harrods' claim that it knew nothing about the allegations until last year.
“We are here to say publicly and to the world, or to Harrods in front of the world, that it is time for them to take responsibility and to put things right, and that is something they should do as soon as possible,” he said.
Attorney Bruce Drummond said survivors came from all over the world.
“The complainants came from Malaysia, Australia, Italy, Romania, the United States and Canada, while one of them was only 16 years old when she was allegedly assaulted,” he said.
US lawyer Gloria Allred, who has represented victims in some of the most high-profile sexual abuse cases in recent years, including those involving Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein, said many women had dreamed of working in “the most beautiful store in the world”.
“However, beneath the glitz and glamour of Harrods was a toxic, unsafe and abusive environment,” she said.
