Mohamed Al Fayed: Timeline of sex abuse allegations

Mohamed Al Fayed, a prominent businessman and former owner of the luxury department store Harrods, has recently been the subject of a BBC investigation that has uncovered numerous allegations of sexual abuse spanning several decades. Al Fayed, who passed away last year at the age of 94, is accused by multiple women of serious offenses, including rape and attempted rape. Many of these women were employees who felt unable to come forward with their experiences until now. Al Fayed was not only a businessman but also a well-known public figure with connections to influential politicians and celebrities. This article will outline key events over the years related to the allegations against him. In 1985, Al Fayed purchased Harrods and took on the role of chairman. One of the women, referred to as 'Alice', began her employment at Harrods when she was just 16 years old. She claims that she was sexually abused by Al Fayed starting in 1987 while working as his personal assistant until 1991. Another woman, 'Sophia', who also served as his assistant during that time, described Al Fayed's behavior as vile, stating that he attempted to rape her on multiple occasions. These accounts highlight the troubling environment that many women faced while working for him. During the 1990s, another woman named 'Rachel' alleged that Al Fayed raped her in his luxurious apartment overlooking Hyde Park in London. In 1994, a scandal erupted in Westminster when Al Fayed publicly admitted to making payments to two Conservative MPs to ask questions in Parliament. A man named 'Steve', who worked for Al Fayed during this period, revealed in the BBC documentary that security staff were aware of the abuse occurring to female employees at Harrods. In 1995, Vanity Fair published an article that accused Al Fayed of racism, staff surveillance, and sexual misconduct against his employees. Al Fayed responded by suing the magazine, which led to a two-year investigation. In 1997, Al Fayed acquired Fulham FC, a football club, for a reported £30 million. That same year, Princess Diana and his son Dodi Al Fayed tragically died in a car accident in Paris. In December, further serious allegations emerged, including claims of sexual harassment and groping, which is classified as sexual assault. Al Fayed issued a statement denying these claims, calling them outrageous and untrue. In 1998, biographer Tom Bower published 'Fayed: The Unauthorised Biography', which included accounts from more women alleging sexual assault. Al Fayed's spokesperson at the time, Michael Cole, dismissed the book as a 'travesty of the truth'. In 2008, a woman known as 'Ellie', who was 15 at the time, reported an assault to the police, but the case did not lead to any charges. In 2009, another woman named 'Gemma', who worked as one of Al Fayed's personal assistants, described how his behavior became increasingly frightening during work trips abroad, culminating in her rape at Villa Windsor in Paris. In 2010, Al Fayed sold Harrods for £1. 5 billion to the Qatar Investment Authority. A Channel 4 Dispatches program that was set to feature allegations from several women was canceled. In 2013, Al Fayed sold Fulham FC to Shahid Khan, the owner of the NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars. During this time, another woman in her twenties accused Al Fayed of rape, but again, no charges were brought against him. In 2015, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that they had reopened the case after new information surfaced, but once more, no charges were filed. In 2017, a Channel 4 Dispatches program aired featuring three women who alleged groping, assault, and sexual harassment. One woman chose to waive her right to anonymity for the first time. In 2018, further allegations emerged, including claims from a woman who was 15 at the time of the incidents. Al Fayed's lawyers dismissed these claims as false and stated that he was unable to comment on the other allegations. Between 2018 and 2023, police investigated claims made by three additional women, but a full file of evidence was never submitted to prosecutors. In July 2023, Harrods began settling claims with women who alleged sexual assault by Al Fayed. The current owners of Harrods expressed their shock and dismay at the allegations, stating that they were 'utterly appalled' by the actions of Al Fayed. They acknowledged that the victims were failed during this time and offered sincere apologies. At a press conference, lawyer Gloria Allred described the environment under Al Fayed's leadership as 'toxic, unsafe, and abusive'. She stated that the allegations against him included serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery, and sexual abuse of minors. The investigation by the BBC has raised significant questions about how Al Fayed was able to evade accountability for his actions for so long.