Mohamed Al Fayed’s surviving brother is accused of sexually assaulting 3 Harrods workers who ‘lived in fear of pair’
THREE ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed’s surviving brother of historical sexual assault.
The women allege Ali Fayed, 82, assaulted them in the 1990s when the siblings, and third brother Salah, owned and ran the department store.
A spokesperson for Ali Fayed – who lives in the US – said he “will not be scapegoated” and he “unequivocally denies any and all the allegations of wrongdoing” and that “the incidents simply never took place”.
The alleged assaults are said to have taken place in London, Scotland, Switzerland and the US.
One of the accusers, a former interior designer, claims one assault happened on a work trip while she was staying with Ali Fayed and his family.
“His hands were everywhere,” she told the BBC, and he stopped because “one of his little boys started calling for him”.
All three women say they were also assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed as well.
At least 111 women have made allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed, who also previously owned Fulham FC.
One of Ali Fayed’s accusers added: “This is my chance to finally stand up for myself. I’m not going to be that scared 24-year-old who doesn’t know what to do.”
One accuser said Mohamed Al Fayed quickly started bullying and sexually abusing her after she started work at Harrods in 1989.
While Ali Fayed seemed calmer and she hoped he would be “kinder” to her – “but he wasn’t”, she added.
She said the sexual abuse started in Ali Fayed’s private office in Park Lane, in central London – where he allegedly tried to kiss her, then groped and molested her.
She said Mohamed would give her “wads of cash”, while Ali allegedly gifted her jewellery or clothes.
The alleged victim said the abuse escalated in 1992 during a trip to Connecticut where she stayed in a large country house with Ali Fayed and his family.
She came out of an en suite bathroom and alleges he was standing in her room.
She alleges the businessman got her on the bed and tried to get on top of her, with his hands “inside my bra, inside my pants”.
But the alleged incident stopped when one of his children called for him.
During another alleged incident, she said Ali Fayed was “laughing” as he groped her during a trip to Balnagown.
‘HAZARD OF THE WORKPLACE’
Another accuser said she “endured” the alleged abuse thinking “that was just what being a young woman meant, it was a hazard of the workplace”.
She claims he tried to rape her during a trip to Paris and later “groped and fondled” her in a swimming pool in Switzerland, where she was told by Mohamed Al Fayed to stay with his brother alone for several days.
The third accuser said Ali Fayed invited her to his office building and presented her with wine and a necklace before she was allegedly subjected to a serious sexual assault which left her “numbed with fear”.
She said she never saw Ali Fayed again but kept the necklace, which was recently valued at £6,500.
Damaged store might not recover
By Ashley Armstrong, Business Editor
HARRODS has survived world wars, two bomb attacks and a fire — but now its fortunes may be tarnished forever.
There are concerns wealthy shoppers may not want to be seen with its distinctive green and gold bags after the posh store admitted it failed to protect staff from predator Mohamed Fayed.
Retail consultant Mary Portas told The Sun: “The rumours were rife and he was a horror. I hope the store isn’t affected but those who surrounded and suppressed this are held to account.”
Harrods has a problem drawing a line under its former owner as echoes of Fayed remain literally all over the shop.
His garish Egyptian escalator, commissioned in 1997, still dominates the Knightsbridge department store from ground to fifth floor.
Ex-Fayed lieutenant Michael Ward has been managing director since 2005 — five years before his boss sold out for £1.5billion to the Qatari Royal Family.
Despite his sincere apology to staff, it might be understandable the Qataris would want a change of face.
Accounts this month revealed the Qataris handed themselves a £180million dividend last year, despite a 35 per cent fall in profits to £111.5million on the back of pensions changes.
In a sign of its attractiveness, sales rose by 8.2 per cent to £1billion in the past year, while other luxury stores such as Harvey Nichols struggled.