Former Harrods staff accuse brother of Mohamed Al Fayed of sexual assault
GuardianFEB 8
Ali Fayed Faces Sexual Assault Claims from Ex-Harrods Staff
Above: A sign outside the Harrods luxury department store in London, UK, on Sept. 20, 2024. Image copyright: Chris Ratcliffe/Contributor/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Facts
Three former employees of British department store Harrods have claimed Ali Fayed, 82, the only surviving brother of Mohamed Al Fayed, sexually assaulted them during the 1990s when the Fayed brothers owned and ran the department store. A spokesman for Ali "unequivocally" denied the allegations.
The alleged assaults took place across multiple locations, including London, Scotland, Switzerland, and the US, with all three women claiming they had previously experienced abuse from Mohamed before encountering his brother Ali.
Frances, one of the accusers who waived her anonymity, described being assaulted in Connecticut in 1992 while on a work trip to discuss interior design plans. She said Ali entered her room uninvited and attempted to assault her until he was interrupted by his child.
The Spin
Narrative A
The Fayed brothers fostered a toxic culture at Harrods to the tune of rampant sexual misconduct and rape, devastating the lives of vulnerable female employees. Hopefully, Harrods' new management, which has apologized for the store's "shameful" past, will make good on its promise to never allow it to happen again under its watch. With an independent review and settlements in place, these women should receive justice and compensation, too.
Narrative B
This case reveals not just a toxic corporate culture but a systemic failure by law enforcement and the justice system. For decades, these men used their influence, wealth, and connections to silence victims. High-level interventions, like those from former police commissioners, reportedly quashed investigations, while non-disclosure agreements and legal threats intimidated survivors into silence. The government should be as ashamed as the perpetrators themselves.
Cynical narrative
This case goes beyond both a toxic work environment and low-level police corruption. It's no wonder that the man who had financial ties to members of parliament and had a relationship with the former Duke of Windsor was never prosecuted. Women were likely kept quiet not just by their powerful boss but by the entire upper echelon of British society — this is an issue of deep, unsettling systemic abuse.