Lawyers representing former Harrods employees who claim they were raped and sexually assaulted by the late billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed have described him as “a monster” as they today exposed his “vast network of abuse”.
This comes after several women came forward to allege that the late Egyptian businessman sexually abused them at the Knightsbridge store and at his luxury properties in the UK and abroad.
So horrific was the alleged abuse he suffered at the hands of Al Fayed that lawyers representing his victims have compared him to sexual predators Jimmy Savile and Jeffrey Epstein.
Harrods was plagued by a “toxic” culture under Al Fayed, as the wealthy businessman “preyed on… his own employees for his own sexual gratification”.
Attorney Bruce Drummond said at a news conference: “This is one of the worst cases of sexual exploitation that I and perhaps the world has ever seen.
“It was horrible, just horrible. It’s horrible because of the acts that were committed against these women and girls.
“It was horrific because it was the system that brought it on, that allowed the abuse of these young girls, and it’s horrific because of the effect that this sexual abuse and the institutional betrayal by Harrods has had on our customers.”
The late billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed has been described as “a monster” amid allegations he raped several women who worked for him at Harrods.
Attorney Bruce Durmmond (left) and Dean Armstrong KC, who represented the former Harrods employees
Attorney Dean Armstrong KC told the press conference that the Mohammed Al Fayed case “combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.”
He said: ‘I have many years of practice… I have never seen a case as horrible as this.
‘This case combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.
‘Savile because in this case, as in that one, the institution, let’s say, knew about the conduct.
‘Epstein, because in that case, as in this one, there was a recruitment system to obtain women and girls (as you know, there are some very young victims).
‘And Weinstein, because he was a person at the very top of the organization who was abusing his power.
“We will say it clearly: Mohammed Al Fayed was a monster.”
Mr Armstrong KC said it was time for Harrods to “take responsibility” and “put things right”.
At the press conference he said: ‘We are here to say publicly and to the world, or to Harrods in front of the world, that it is time for them to take responsibility and it is time for them to put things right, and that is something they must do as soon as possible.
Dean Armstrong KC, who appeared in ‘Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods’, speaks during a press conference to discuss the legal team’s involvement in the investigation and legal action against Harrods.
‘They need to face responsibility, accept full culpability for the abuse these women suffered.
“Today we are going to outline our claim and how it demonstrates a complete failure of corporate responsibility and a failure to provide a safe system of work.”
During the press conference, lawyer Maria Mulla recounted how female workers were harassed and threatened by the alleged multimillionaire sexual harasser.
Women often had to “speak in some kind of code” and if workers ever complained, “they received threats like ‘you’ll never work in London again’,” the lawyer said, outlining the horrific allegations.
Describing the threats, Ms Mulla said security officials allegedly working for Al Fayed told staff: “I know where you and your family live.”
“They were often demoted and false accusations were made against them, so they had no choice but to leave Harrods,” he added.
‘The security team also threatened police action.’
A woman who had the “courage and bravery” to report her sexual assault in a written complaint was threatened hours later.
‘A woman we represent was sexually assaulted and had the bravery and courage to raise this in a formal written complaint to Harrods.
‘That same day, security chief John Macnamara said: ‘You’re a girl alone in London, someone could jump out of the bushes at you or you could have a sudden accident,’ Mulla said.
“Of course, she did what she was told because she was absolutely petrified.”
Another woman tried to resign to “escape the issue,” Mulla added, saying the victim had also been threatened.
US lawyer Gloria Allred told the news conference that Harrods was a “toxic, unsafe and abusive environment” under Mohammed Al Fayed.
She said: ‘The allegations against Mohammed Al Fayed include serial rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and child sexual abuse. They involved doctors performing invasive gynaecological examinations as a condition of employment for some of the female employees who were targeted by Mohammed Al Fayed for sexual abuse.
‘The allegations also include the unauthorized disclosure to Mohammed Al Fayed of the results of examinations of employees he was seeking for sexual abuse.
‘The allegations involve cover-ups, threats and a quarter of a century of sexual abuse by Mohammed Al Fayed after he bought Harrods and became its chairman.
‘Harrods is often considered the most beautiful store in the world… many women dreamed of working there, of being associated with this prestigious corporation and of advancing their careers.
‘However, beneath the glitz and glamour of Harrods was a toxic, unsafe and abusive environment.’
This is a developing story.
