Former Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, father of Emad El-Din “Dodi” Mohamed Fayed who died with Princess Diana in a 1997 Paris car crash, has been accused of multiple rapes. As reported by the BBC, five women allege that the billionaire, who passed away at 94, raped them while they worked at Harrods during his ownership from 1985 to 2010. The claims came from more than 20 former employees, detailing incidents in London, St. Tropez, Abu Dhabi, and Paris.
The allegations were featured in the BBC documentary Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods, which highlighted how Harrods failed to stop the abuse and allegedly helped cover it up. In response, the store’s current owners expressed their shock, saying, “We also acknowledge that during this time as a business, we failed our employees who were his victims and for this we sincerely apologise.”
One woman alleged she was raped at Fayed’s London apartment, stating, “I made it obvious that I didn’t want that to happen. I did not give consent.” Another woman, assaulted in Mayfair as a teenager, shared, “We were all scared. He actively cultivated fear.”
Sophia, his personal assistant from 1988 to 1991, accused him of multiple rape attempts. Gemma, another former assistant, said she was assaulted at Villa Windsor in Paris and forced to sign an NDA in exchange for money.
Several employees and security personnel confirmed that Fayed had a known interest in young women. Reports also revealed that women working for him underwent invasive medical tests. Harrods’ current ownership has been settling civil claims for damages since July 2023.
Al-Fayed, an Egyptian-born businessman who gained UK residency in 1974, became widely known after acquiring Harrods in 1985 and has recently re-emerged in public discourse due to Netflix’s The Crown.