Harrod’s boss Mohamed Al Fayed has been labelled a “monster” after being accused of rape by multiple women.
Five female ex-employees allege the late Egyptian billionaire, who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, raped them.
More than 20 women have come forward to the BBC with claims of sexual assault against the tycoon, who died last year aged 94.
The attacks allegedly happened in London, Paris, St Tropez and Abu Dhabi. Harrods’ current owners said they “utterly appalled by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al Fayed”.
One woman said she was a teenager when he raped her, adding all the Harrods staff were his “playthings”.
She said: “Mohamed Al Fayed was a monster, a sexual predator with no moral compass whatsoever. We were all so scared. He actively cultivated fear.
“If he said ‘jump’ employees would ask ‘how high’.”
(Image: Getty Images)
In July last year, the store began settling claims with women who came forward with claims of sexual abuse at Fayed’s hands.
Bruce Drummond, a barrister representing some of the women, said: ‘The spider’s web of corruption and abuse in this company was unbelievable and very dark.”
Rachel, not her real name, said she was raped after staying at one of his apartments after a late shift. She said: “I made it obvious that I didn’t want that to happen. I did not give consent. I just wanted it to be over.
“I remember feeling his body on me, the weight of him. Just hearing him make these noises. And just going somewhere else in my head.”
Fayed, whose son Dodi was killed in a car crash alongside Princess Diana in 1997, was recently portrayed in hit Netflix show The Crown.
(Image: Getty Images)
In a statement, Harrods said: “These were the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated and we condemn them in the strongest terms.
“We also acknowledge that during this time as a business we failed our employees who were his victims, and for this we sincerely apologise.
“The Harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010, it is one that seeks to put the welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do.
“This is why, since new information came to light in 2023 about historic allegations of sexual abuse by Al Fayed, it has been our priority to settle claims in the quickest way possible, avoiding lengthy legal proceedings for the women involved.
“This process is still available for any current or former Harrods employees.
“While we cannot undo the past, we have been determined to do the right thing as an organisation, driven by the values we hold today, while ensuring that such behaviour can never be repeated in the future.”