“Sex offender”: Former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed is said to have raped several women

The management of London's luxury department store Harrods expressed its “deep shock” at allegations that former owner Mohamed Al Fayed sexually abused over 20 employees.

The billionaire, who died last year at the age of 94, owned the Brompton Road landmark between 1985 and 2010.

Al Fayed's wealth, eccentricity and connections to celebrities made him a household name in the United Kingdom, as did his links to Princess Diana.

His son Dodi had a romantic relationship with the Queen, but both died in a car accident in Paris in 1997.

On Thursday, the BBC published allegations from more than 20 former female Harrods employees who claimed Al Fayed sexually harassed them.

Five women accused him of rape.

The women claimed that Harrods management knew about the allegations at the time but helped cover them up.

In a statement, Harrods management said: “We are deeply appalled by the allegations of abuse made by Mohamed Al Fayed.”

“These were the actions of an individual intent on abusing his power wherever he operated, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms. We also recognize that as a company we failed our employees, who were his victims, during this time, and for that we sincerely apologize.”

The store's management said it had begun settling civil claims with some of the women abused by Al Fayed last year and urged others to contact it.

“While we cannot undo the past, we are committed to doing the right thing as an organization, guided by the values ​​we hold today, while ensuring that such behavior cannot be repeated in the future,” the statement said.

A woman quoted in the BBC report described Al Fayed as a “monster” and “sexual predator.”

It is not the first time that such allegations have been made against the Egyptian-born businessman, who also once owned the Ritz Hotel in Paris and the Fulham football club.

During his lifetime, he was accused of sexual harassment and assault by several women.

In 2008, he was questioned under suspicion by London's Metropolitan Police after being accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl.

In a statement, police said they would “review any new information and evidence that comes to light.”