September 20th 2024.
During a televised news conference in London, lawyers representing several individuals accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods, of being a "monster" who sexually abused and raped young women. According to the lawyers, these acts took place during Al Fayed's 25-year reign as the head of the prestigious department store, which began in 1985. This news conference was held in the aftermath of a BBC documentary titled Al-Fayed: Predator At Harrods.
The legal team, consisting of four members, stated that they were currently representing 37 of Al Fayed's accusers and were in the process of adding more clients, including individuals from other organizations that Al Fayed had been involved with. In the documentary, which was aired on Thursday, the Egyptian-born Al Fayed, who passed away last year at the age of 94, was accused of raping at least five women at his properties in London and Paris, as well as committing numerous other acts of assault and physical violence, both within and outside of Harrods.
Lead lawyer Dean Armstrong made a statement, calling Al Fayed a "monster" who was enabled by a system that was deeply ingrained at Harrods. He also mentioned that this case shared similarities with high-profile sexual abuse cases involving well-known and powerful individuals such as Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein, and Harvey Weinstein. These men were able to evade allegations for years before their victims finally came forward. Some of Al Fayed's accusers were teenagers at the time of the abuse, with one being as young as 15, according to the BBC documentary.
The Metropolitan Police of London had been made aware of these allegations in the past and had even questioned Al Fayed in 2008 regarding the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old. However, at the time, the cases were not pursued by prosecutors. There has been no comment from Al Fayed's family on these allegations. One of his accusers, who was identified as Natacha, spoke at the news conference and shared her experience. She described Al Fayed as a highly manipulative individual who preyed on vulnerable young women who needed to pay their rent or did not have parents to protect them.
Natacha, who had joined Al Fayed's team of personal assistants at the age of 19, recounted a terrifying incident when she was invited to his private apartment under the pretense of a job review. She was shocked to find sex toys in his bedroom and felt petrified. Al Fayed then made unwanted advances towards her, and when she managed to escape, he threatened her, saying that she would never work in London again if she spoke of this to anyone. She added that she felt scared and sick after this incident.
In the United Kingdom, victims of sexual assault often choose to identify themselves by only one name to protect their privacy. It is unclear why Natacha chose to use only one name in front of the media, and it is also not known if Natacha is her real name. The Associated Press does not disclose the identities of sexual assault victims unless they come forward and voluntarily reveal their names. The team of lawyers was not available for comment at the time.
Al Fayed moved to Britain in the 1960s and built an empire after making early investments in shipping in Italy and the Middle East. He owned several properties, including the Ritz hotel in Paris and the London soccer team Fulham, and was well-connected in high society. However, he was never knighted. After the tragic death of his son Dodi and Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris in 1997, Al Fayed became known for promoting conspiracy theories.
In 2010, Al Fayed sold Harrods to a company owned by the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar, the Qatar Investment Authority. The current owners of Harrods released a statement to the BBC, expressing their shock and disgust at the allegations of abuse. They mentioned that they were only made aware of these allegations last year and that they were determined to do the right thing as an organization, driven by their values. They also stated that they would ensure that such behavior would never be repeated in the future.
However, Armstrong dismissed Harrods' claim that they were unaware of the sexual abuse allegations against Al Fayed for many years, citing various media reports in recent years. The BBC documentary also stated that at least one woman had signed a non-disclosure agreement. Armstrong emphasized that it was time for Harrods to take responsibility for their actions and urged them to do so as soon as possible. Gloria Allred, a US lawyer who has represented victims in high-profile sexual abuse cases, also spoke at the news conference and condemned the culture at Harrods during Al Fayed's tenure. She described it as a toxic, unsafe, and abusive environment, hidden beneath the glitz and glamour of the renowned store.
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