Three former Harrods employees have publicly accused Ali Fayed, the only surviving brother of the late Mohamed Al Fayed, of sexually assaulting them while they worked for the luxury department store. The alleged incidents occurred in the 1990s when the Fayed family owned and ran Harrods.
Ali Fayed, 82, who now resides in the United States, has strongly denied all allegations. His spokesperson stated that he “unequivocally denies any and all allegations of wrongdoing” and that “the incidents simply never took place.”
The three women allege that Ali Fayed assaulted them in various locations, including London, Scotland, Switzerland, and the United States. One of the women, Frances, a former interior designer for Harrods, claims she was assaulted while staying at Ali Fayed’s family home in Connecticut. Frances took a job working for Harrods in the store’s interior design studio in 1989.
“His hands were everywhere,” she said, recalling how the assault ended only when one of his young children called for him.
Another woman, Amy, worked as a personal assistant to Mohamed Al Fayed for nearly three years. She claims Mohamed sexually abused her throughout her employment and that Ali assaulted her during a work trip to Switzerland. She described being groped by him at a deserted swimming pool, saying she felt “trapped” and “terrified.”
The third woman, referred to as Laura, says she remembers Ali Fayed coming into Mohamed’s Park Lane office, and also taking phone calls from him. “He gave me the nickname ‘Amy speaking’ which he thought was hilarious,” she recalls.
She mentioned that during a trip to Switzerland with Ali, she was subjected to a serious sexual assault. She recalled feeling “numbed with fear” and said she complied with his instructions in order to escape.
All three women claim that before Ali Fayed allegedly assaulted them, they had also been sexually abused by his older brother, Mohamed. Police say 111 women have made allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed, who died in 2023. Mohamed Al Fayed added the Arabic “Al” prefix to his surname sometime in the 1970s. Some victims believe the Fayed brothers enabled and encouraged each other’s predatory behaviour.
Frances described a toxic environment where both Mohamed and Ali would oscillate between abuse and extravagant gifts.
“With Mohamed, it would often be wads of cash, Ali would give jewellery or clothes. It would be a see-saw between abusive behaviour then praise for my work and these lavish items,” she said.
During a work trip to Ali Fayed’s Scottish estate, Frances said Ali pulled her onto his lap and molested her. “I remember him laughing,” she said, recalling how she managed to break free and run out of the room.
None of the women reported the alleged abuse at the time, fearing retaliation. Frances was later dismissed from Harrods after she began dating a fellow employee—something Mohamed Al Fayed allegedly forbade. She successfully sued for unfair dismissal, but the experience left her deeply scarred.
“To this day, I suffer from terrible anxiety and panic attacks. I don’t like people in my space,” she said.
Amy also struggled in the aftermath of her alleged assault. “I wanted to remove myself from it all, but the trauma stayed with me,” she said, explaining that she avoids attention in social situations.
The three women are now pursuing civil legal action against Harrods through the group “Justice for Harrods Survivors.”
Their barrister, Maria Mulla, commended their bravery and stated, “No stone will be left unturned in pursuit of justice and accountability.”
“This is my chance to finally stand up for myself. I’m not going to be that scared 24-year-old who doesn’t know what to do,” says Frances.
Harrods, which has been under new ownership since 2010, acknowledged the serious nature of the allegations. “We could not possibly speak on behalf of any individual who can, and should, respond to these allegations directly,” the store said in a statement.
Ali Fayed, who co-owns luxury British shirtmaker “Turnbull & Asser” with his sons, resigned as the company’s director in December 2024—ten days after the BBC presented him with the allegations.
While Mohamed Al Fayed never faced charges during his lifetime, the women are calling for an investigation into Ali Fayed.
“Whether any charges would be brought, I don’t know,” said Amy, “but I believe he should be investigated for what he did.”
Ali Fayed’s spokesperson reaffirmed his denial, stating, “Mr. Fayed is not a perpetrator and will not be scapegoated. He will robustly defend himself against these unsubstantiated claims and will not allow false accusations to go unchallenged.”
Melissa Enoch
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