An additional 65 women have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against the late billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed.
According to the BBC, the new claims, which span from 1977 to more recent years, emerged after the documentary Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods was aired.
The accusations detail instances of sexual harassment, assault, and rape, involving not only employees of his businesses but also women outside his professional sphere.
The fresh allegations suggest that Al Fayed, who passed away last year, used a wider array of tactics to exploit women than previously known.
Several women claim they were lured into working for Al Fayed’s domestic staff under false pretenses and then subjected to sexual abuse, including at his mansion in Oxted, Surrey.
One of the earliest reported incidents dates back to 1977 in Dubai, well before Al Fayed became a household name in the UK with his purchase of Harrods in 1985.
A woman recounted how Al Fayed stalked and threatened her before sexually assaulting her.
Similar intimidation tactics were later alleged by women who worked at Harrods, where security staff were reportedly used to carry out the harassment.
Of the 65 women who contacted the BBC, 37 claimed they had worked at Harrods when they were abused by Al Fayed.
In response to the BBC’s inquiries, Harrods said, “Since the airing of the documentary, so far there are 200+ individuals who are now in the Harrods process to settle claims directly with the business.”
It was reported that there were women who were not employed by Al Fayed but alleged they were targeted and assaulted by him.
One woman, who worked at a London flower shop in the early 1980s, said she was flown to the Paris Ritz for a job interview, only to be sexually assaulted by Al Fayed.
Another, a former BBC make-up artist, alleged that she was assaulted by Al Fayed in 1989 while working on The Clothes Show during an interview with him at Villa Windsor, his Paris home.
The allegations further tarnish the legacy of Mohamed Al Fayed, whose wealth and influence allowed him to evade public scrutiny for decades.
