The London department store Harrods admitted that it had ‘failed its employees’ during the period when Mohamed Al Fayed was the owner of the business from 1985 to 2010.
Over 20 former Harrods staffers have claimed that Al Fayed sexually abused them during those 25 years. 14 of these women have filed civil lawsuits against the retailer. Four women claim that the Egyptian billionaire raped them.
The company stated: “Since 2023 [the date of Al Fayed’s death aged 94] new information about historical allegations of Al Fayed’s sexual abuse came to light, we have made it our priority to settle all claims as quickly as possible to avoid lengthy legal proceedings. The process is available to any former or current Harrods employee.
The statement added that the allegations made against Al Fayed were “absolutely appalling”. It said that his actions were indicative of an individual “who was determined to abuse his power wherever he worked and we condemned them in the strongest possible terms.”
We also acknowledge as a company that we have failed to provide the best possible service to our employees, who were his victims. For this, we are sincerely sorry.”
The statement also stated that the company’s goal was to resolve claims as quickly as possible to avoid lengthy legal proceedings. It added that the business “was determined to do the right thing, driven by our values today, and ensure that such behavior can never be replicated in the future.”
The statement stated that Harrods is a different business than it was when Al Fayed owned the company.
One of the former staff members who were sexually assaulted, told the BBC that there had been rumors about Al Fayed’s behavior and his private office resembled a “modeling agency” with young women.
Al Fayed was described by other women who worked for Harrods as a man that abused his position and preyed on his staff. He also used his power to discourage them from speaking up.
Former employees recalled how he would walk through his department store, identifying young female assistants that he thought were attractive before promoting them into his private office.
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