Police are appealing for any “potential victim survivors” of alleged sexual abuse by Mohamed al Fayed to come forward so they can investigate.
The Met Police said in a statement that they “must ensure” every victim-survivor has the confidence to speak to the force about the former Harrods owner, even though criminal proceedings cannot be brought against someone who has died.
The force said it must ensure it fully explores whether anyone else can be pursued for any related criminal offences after Fayed died aged 94 last year.
So far, the Met has said it has 19 allegations of crimes involving Fayed that occurred between 1979 and 2013, relating to 19 women. Fifteen are of sexual assault and one is related to trafficking.
But it says it has now received new allegations from people who have not previously contacted it about Fayed although it is not confirming the number at present.
Commander Stephen Clayman said: “We recognise the significance of the allegations made against Mohamed Al Fayed and the impact this has had on those affected.
“It is vital that any victims have a voice and are able to report any allegations if they have not done so before, and know that they will be taken seriously.
“We have specialist teams to ensure all those victims who make contact with us are supported in the best way possible.
“I understand that for many years many people have sought answers in relation to this case. We will do everything possible to update on our progress when we can, but it is crucial we do this thoroughly and we do it right.”
Read more:Timeline of sex abuse claims against Mohamed al FayedFormer security head says he warned Royal Family about FayedCrown Prosecution Service twice failed to prosecute Fayed
4:40 Fayed survivor speaks out: ‘It smashes his legacy’Harrods ‘deeply sorry’
Earlier, the managing director of Harrods accused Fayed, his former boss, of presiding over “a toxic culture of secrecy, intimidation, fear of repercussion and sexual misconduct”.
Five women who used to work at the luxury department store have alleged they were raped by Fayed, with several other former employees alleging sexual misconduct.
In a written statement, Michael Ward, who worked for the Egyptian billionaire at Harrods for four years, denied having been previously aware of the businessman’s “criminality and abuse”.
He said Fayed’s ownership between 1985 and 2010 represents a “shameful period in the business’s history”.
Mr Ward apologised and said Harrods had “failed our colleagues”.
His statement reads: “As managing director of Harrods, I wanted to convey my personal horror at the revelations that have emerged over the past week.
“We have all seen the survivors bravely speak about the terrible abuse they suffered at the hands of Harrods former owner Mohamed Fayed.
“As we have already stated, we failed our colleagues and for that we are deeply sorry.
“As someone who has worked at Harrods since 2006, and therefore worked for Fayed until the change of ownership in 2010, I feel it is important to make it clear that I was not aware of his criminality and abuse.
“While it is true that rumours of his behaviour circulated in the public domain, no charges or allegations were ever put to me by the Police, the CPS, internal channels or others. Had they been, I would of course have acted immediately.”
Image: Harrods managing director Michael Ward. Pic: PAA ‘toxic culture of sexual misconduct’
Mr Ward also said an independent review was under way into issues arising from the allegations and that he had “provided all the information I have to ensure my own conduct can be reviewed alongside that of my colleagues”.
“I am not part of the committee conducting this review and will in no way influence its operation or recommendations… I have also stepped back from my charity trustee positions while this review is taking place,” he said.
Mr Ward added that Fayed had ran his business as his “own personal fiefdom”.
He continued: “It is now clear that he presided over a toxic culture of secrecy, intimidation, fear of repercussion and sexual misconduct.
“The picture that is now emerging suggests that he did this wherever he operated.”
1:24 Concerns about Princess Diana mixing with FayedMr Ward insisted that the Harrods of today is “unrecognisable” compared to how it was under Fayed’s leadership.
He added that the business has established a settlement process which has been “designed in consultation with independent, external experts in personal injury litigation”.
“We encourage former colleagues to contact us using this process so that we can provide the support, and recourse, they need”, Mr Ward said.
Sources within Harrods have said the business has accepted vicarious liability, a rule of law that imposes strict liability on employers for the wrongdoings of their employees, for the conduct of Fayed for the purpose of settling claims of alleged victims brought to its attention since 2023.
0:33 ‘Mohamed al Fayed brainwashed me’Some women have claimed they were subjected to “intrusive and wholly unnecessary” gynaecological tests to work for Fayed and have alleged the purpose of the tests was for checking for sexually transmitted infections.
Alleged victims are set to lodge a complaint against Dr Ann Coxon, claiming she has “questions to answer” over the examinations.
Dr Coxon declined to comment on the matter.
A General Medical Council spokeswoman said: “If we identify any potential fitness to practise concerns about individual doctors, we will thoroughly examine all relevant information and take action as appropriate.”
What has Fayed been accused of?
Dean Armstrong KC, a lawyer representing some of Fayed alleged victims, has said the case against the businessman “combines some of the most horrific elements” of those including Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.
The allegations have surfaced after an investigation by the BBC.
A former employee of Harrods has told Sky News “demonic” Fayed would “cherry pick” women from the shop floor and once they were called to his office they “couldn’t say no”.
After taking over Harrods in 1985, Fayed expanded his business interests to include the Paris Ritz and Fulham Football Club.
Lawyers say they are aware of allegations made by employees at other businesses owned by Fayed and are representing women who worked at the Paris Ritz.
There have not been any allegations against Fayed in relation to his ownership of Fulham FC between 1997 and 2013.
‘I found him scary, I’d freeze’Alia worked for Fayed as a young woman in the early 1990s and told Sky News:
“I worked for him for just under a year. We witnessed a lot of things. It was my first job out of college and my father was friends with Fayed.
“He’d say ‘I need you to be in my office upstairs’ and within a few days he said ‘I need you to find me young girls, a team of young girls’.
“I remember there was one 20-year-old girl from the shop floor he particularly liked, I don’t know what happened to her.
“I was 22 and I introduced him to three of my friends. He put one downstairs in window displays – I guess he didn’t find her attractive.
“We were given our own office. Within the first two weeks he said to me ‘come and sit on Uncle Mo’s lap, come on’.
“I took a few steps forward and eventually sat on his lap. He said ‘you look very hungry’.
“He then started stuffing £50 notes into my blazer pocket, £800 pounds in total – a whole month’s wages.
“I started struggling, got in a panic and left the office. I told my mum and she flipped. She tried to phone him but he didn’t take the calls.
“She insisted I pay the money back and gave it in an envelope to his assistant.
“He did the same with my friends. One of them he had a real eye for. He kept saying to her ‘come to Paris, come to the Ritz’.
“Her parents wouldn’t let her go. He had a secret camera in our office to watch us.
“Alia says that after working at Harrods for only two and a half weeks Fayed was offering her the job of being a buyer for the young persons’ clothing department.
“I found him scary. I’d freeze. We all had pagers and when he messaged we had to get to him on the double. Other colleagues would be sent to the shop floor to recruit pretty assistants to work in his office.
“He used to say ‘bring me friends’.
“I was too scared to resign in person. I sent in my resignation when I was on holiday.
“I avoided confrontation, there was a culture of fear. He was mad I think. He used to say he wanted to build a pyramid on the roof of Harrods to be buried in.”