The late Mohamed Al-Fayed, whose son died with Princess Diana, is accused of rape

• The late Mohamed Al-Fayed was accused of rape by five women who worked for Harrods, the London luxury department store he owned from 1985 to 2010.
• The allegations against the late billionaire, who died last year aged 94, were outlined in a BBC documentary in which the BBC heard testimony from more than 20 former employees who claim Al-Fayed sexually abused them.
• Harrods apologised and said it was “deeply appalled by the allegations of abuse against Mohamed Al Fayed”.

Mohamed Al-Fayed, whose son Emad El-Din “Dodi” Mohamed Fayed died in a car accident in Paris in 1997 along with Princess Diana, is accused of multiple rapes.

According to the BBC, five women claimed they were raped by Al-Fayed – who died in September 2023 at the age of 94 – while working at London's luxury department store Harrods, which Al-Fayed owned from 1985 to 2010.

The BBC announced on Thursday, September 19, that it had heard testimony from more than 20 former female staffers who claim the Egyptian businessman sexually harassed them. The incidents allegedly took place in London, St. Tropez, Abu Dhabi and Paris.

The allegations are also set out in a BBC documentary that will be broadcast on Thursday, September 19. The title is Al Fayed: Predator at HarrodsThe documentary is intended to provide evidence that Harrods failed to intervene during Al-Fayed's ownership and helped cover up allegations of abuse.

Many of the women also said that when they began working directly for Al-Fayed, they underwent medical examinations, including medical tests on their sexual health, the BBC reported.

In a statement released on September 19, Harrods said the company was “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,” ​​the statement continued. “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 statement continued: “The Harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010. It is an organisation that seeks to put the wellbeing of our employees at the heart of everything we do. That is why, since new information emerged in 2023 about historical allegations of sexual abuse by Al Fayed, our priority has been to resolve the claims as quickly as possible and avoid lengthy legal proceedings for the women affected. This process remains available to all current or former Harrods employees.”

“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 letter concludes.

According to the BBC, a woman claims Al-Fayed raped her in his London apartment. “I made it clear that I did not want this. I did not consent. I just wanted it to be over,” she told the program.

Another woman also claimed she was raped as a teenager in the flat in the upscale Mayfair area. “We were all so scared. He actively stoked fear,” she told the BBC. “When he said 'jump' the staff would ask 'how high'.”

A woman named Sophia, who worked as the billionaire's personal assistant from 1988 to 1991, also claims that he tried to rape her more than once and that she was sexually abused. “I couldn't leave. I had no [family] “I didn't have a home to go back to, I had to pay rent,” she told the outlet. “I knew I had to go through this, and I didn't want to.”

Another of his personal assistants, Gemma, who worked for Al-Fayed from 2007 to 2009, claims he raped her at the Windsor Castle in Paris, the former residence of King Edward VIII and his wife Wallis Simpson.

In her appearance on the BBC documentary, Gemma added that as part of the agreement that came with her quitting her job, she had to destroy all evidence and sign a non-disclosure agreement in return for a sum of money.

She told the BBC that a paper shredder truck had come to her lawyer's office and that a member of Harrods' human resources team had been present.

Meanwhile, Tony Leeming, who worked as a department head at Harrods for ten years, told the BBC that he was “aware” of the “abuse of women” on the shop floor, but knew nothing about the rape allegations.

Al Fayed was a central figure in the fifth and sixth seasons of The Crownwith an episode dedicated to his rise from humble beginnings. The BBC documentary makers reveal that several women have come forward after watching his sympathetic portrayal in the series, which focused on the relationship between Princess Diana and his son Dodi and her tragic death in 1997. The CrownThe woman, identified as Sophia, said: “People shouldn't remember him like that.”

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According to the BBC, Al-Fayed was accused of sexual assault several times before his death in 1997, 2008 and 2017.

Of the women the outlet spoke to as part of its investigation, a total of 14 have filed civil claims for damages against Harrods. The department store's current owners have begun settling those claims in July 2023, according to the outlet.

Al-Fayed's son Dodi was in a relationship with Princess Diana when they died while on holiday in France in August 1997. The newlywed couple were travelling in a car in Paris – with a driver and bodyguard – and were being followed by paparazzi when their vehicle had an accident in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to Rainn.org.

Viewers in the US can watch Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods on BBC Select on Friday 20 September. BBC Select is available on major streaming platforms in the US including Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Roku.