Harrods investigating if current staff 'directly or indirectly involved' in Mohamed Al Fayed sexual abuse allegations
23 September 2024, 19:45 | Updated: 23 September 2024, 19:47
Harrods has said it is investigating whether any of its current staff were involved in the sexual abuse allegations against the store's former owner Mohamed Al Fayed.
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The luxury department store said it was looking into whether the current employees were "directly or indirectly involved” in the allegations after five women said they were raped by Mr Al Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94.
At least 150 more women have since come forward with sexual assault claims against Fayed, a lawyer for alleged victims told LBC.
Harrods told The Guardian it had since launched a review and was in direct contact with Scotland Yard, who are investigating the allegations.
The victims urged the store's long-serving staff and associates of Fayed to tell police what they knew about the alleged abuse, which they said took place over decades.
Harrods told the newspaper in a statement: “As part of our due diligence there is an ongoing internal review (supported by external counsel) including looking at whether any current staff were involved in any of the allegations either directly or indirectly.
“In addition, the Harrods board has established a non-executive committee of the board to further consider the issues arising from the allegations. Harrods is also in direct communication with the Metropolitan police to ensure we are offering our assistance with any of their relevant inquiries.”
Following the initial allegations, Harrods said in a statement last Friday that it condemned “the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power”.
It said the store is “a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010” and that Harrods had made it a "priority to settle claims in the quickest way possible, avoiding lengthy legal proceedings for the women involved”.
It came as former employees at the department store said Harrods bosses should be questioned over “collusion” with alleged misconduct by Fayed.
A former Harrods staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme of “enablers” at the luxury store who were “as guilty as Al Fayed because they were not just passive onlookers”.
The woman, who said she worked for Harrods in a “very junior role” when she was 21, added: “They were actually helping to send girl after girl into a total nightmare.
“I think that some individuals should be identified and that they should be questioned into their collusion.“It is essentially grooming, as the evidence suggests, and they should face justice.”
In its statement, Harrods said it was “utterly appalled by the allegations of abuse” and that they were “the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated”.
The store’s former employee added: “I know Harrods said in their statement that these are the actions of an individual but actually I think it also shows the inaction of multiple people and leaders.”
The woman said she was invited into Al Fayed’s office where he offered her a job, kissed her on the forehead and handed her £300 in cash, as well as holding her hand and asking whether she had a boyfriend.
Recalling the encounter, she said: “He said ‘No, you don’t have a boyfriend. I’m your boyfriend,’” adding that being kissed by him was “horrible”
The former Harrods employee said that after describing the encounter to her male line manager, he “brushed it off” and told her: “That’s just what he’s like.”
Dean Armstrong KC 'anticipating' even more alleged victims to come out against Al Fayed
A lawyer for the women, Dean Armstrong KC told LBC's Matthew Wright over the weekend that he was expecting more women to come forward with claims against the late billionaire.
Mr Armstrong said: "We're already signed up with 37 - we have overnight, certainly in excess of 150 more who have contacted us - we're anticipating that it will be more than that."
Mr Armstrong said: "One of the things that I hope and believe must be taken away from this is the importance in the future of the corporate responsibility of looking after your employees - making sure they have a safe system of work.
He added that "the fact that it was the facilities and resources of the body corporate that were being used to effectively enable this [alleged] behaviour, that is something which must be addressed very urgently."
LBC's Matthew Wright explains his own experience with Al Fayed
