Around 60 women have said they were sexually abused by former Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed, lawyers representing them said on Friday.
A BBC documentary last week aired claims by women that Fayed, who died last year aged 94, raped and sexually abused them during his ownership of the luxury department store.
The accusations make the Egyptian billionaire the latest high-profile figure to join a list of rich and powerful men, including Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who have been embarrassed by sexual abuse allegations.
“The response has been simply overwhelming,” the lawyers said in a statement.
“We can confirm that we now represent 60 survivors as part of our claim, with more to follow.”
The legal team said that since going public after the televised report, they had been contacted by people from all over the world.
Former Harrods owner Al-Fayed presided over ‘toxic culture’: chief executive
“Our claim is becoming increasingly global in scope… We expected that wherever Mohammed Al Fayed went, abuse would follow,” the statement said.
“Unfortunately this has turned out to be true.
“We now have credible evidence of abuse at Al-Fayed’s other properties and businesses, including Fulham Football Club.”
British prosecutors said they received evidence against Fayed twice.
Pattern of abuse
In 2008, Fayed was accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reviewed the evidence in 2009.
In 2013, he was accused of raping a woman, an allegation that was investigated in 2015.
In both cases, the CPS, which decides prosecutions in England and Wales, said there was no “realistic prospect of conviction” and did not press charges against the Harrods chairman.
Lawyers said they would continue to respond to inquiries from potential victims or witnesses and called for an “independent and transparent process to assess and adjudicate these claims”.
Shatta Wale’s ex-partner, others arraigned after arrests of Stop Galamsey Now
The women they represented, they said, had “lost all faith in Harrods and their processes”.
Harrods chief executive Michael Ward said this week that his former boss presided over a “toxic culture of secrecy, intimidation, fear of repercussions and sexual misconduct”.
However, he said he was “unaware of his criminality and abuse” and expressed his “personal horror at the revelations”.
Fayed’s accusers say the attacks took place at his London flats and properties in Paris, including the Ritz hotel.
The allegations include a recurring pattern of women being shortlisted for positions close to Fayed.
Once selected, they underwent an “invasive” gynecological examination, the results of which were shared with Fayed.
The women said that when they tried to complain about their abuse, they were threatened by senior security, demoted and made to make false allegations until they had “no choice” but to leave Harrods.
Unions vow ‘bitter resistance’ as Volkswagen talks begin
Fayed sold Harrods to the investment arm of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund for £1.5 billion ($2.2 billion).
He also owned Fulham Football Club.
Source: AFP