Harrods enabled a “system of procurement” for “monster” Mohamed Al Fayed to abuse young women working at the world-famous department store, lawyers representing the victims have said.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Dean Armstrong KC, representing the victims, said that those in charge at Harrods knew of Al Fayed’s behaviour. He said Harrods only addressing the allegations now was an “insult” to those abused.
He said that Harrods should take “responsibility” as “soon as possible” and face up to the “web of abuse” perpetrated by Mr Al Fayed during his chairmanship and ownership from 1985 and 2010.
He added the case "combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein."
The key points made by victims' lawyers:
- Compared to Epstein, Weinstein and Savile
- Female staff given sexual health checks
- Staff who threatened to go public subjected to threats
- Enabled by system at Harrods
- Women told by Harrods staff he 'wanted them to be clean'
He said: "I have many years of practice... I have never seen a case as horrific as this.
"This case combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.
"Savile because in this case, as in that, the institution, we say, knew about the behaviour.
"Epstein because in that case, as in this, there was a procurement system in place to source the women and girls - as you know there are some very young victims.
"And Weinstein, because it was a person at the very top of the organisation who was abusing his power.
"We will say plainly, Mohammed Al Fayed was a monster."
Lawyers representing 37 women, and victims themselves, shared moving testimony from women alleging abuse at the hands of Al Fayed.
Lawyer Maria Mulla said one of those allegedly abused by Al Fayed was fired when she tried to resign to escape the abuse, and then threatened repeatedly.
She was told there would be “serious consequences” if she spoke out about Al Fayed’s predatory behaviour, leaving her suicidal and causing her to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Ms Mulla said of her client: "She was unable after that experience to form any proper relationships with any other man and lost out on the opportunity to have her own family.”
One of Al Fayed's alleged victims, named as Natacha, told the press conference the billionaire businessman was "highly manipulative".
She said: "Mohamed was clever and highly manipulative.
"He behaved like a father figure, often saying 'call me papa', often talking about his family and children, as if to make me feel safe around him."
She continued: "Unbeknownst to me, I had walked into a lion's den, a layer of cover-ups, deceit, lies, manipulation, humiliation, and gross sexual misconduct.
"The chairman preyed on the most vulnerable, those of us who needed to pay the rent and some of us who didn't have parents to protect them."
She told how she was summoned to his residences on the pretext of a job interview before he forced himself upon her in a sick attack.
She said: "The door was locked behind me... I saw his bedroom door partially open - there were sex toys on view.
"I felt petrified. I perched myself at the very end of the sofa and then... Mohamed Al Fayed, my boss, the person I worked for, pushed himself onto me."
Natacha said as Mr Al Fayed was on top of her she managed to "kick free and free myself".
She continued: "I ran toward the door. I told him I was meeting my father for dinner and he would be worried that I was late.
"He laughed at me - he then composed himself and he told me, in no uncertain terms, that I was never to breathe a word of this to anyone - if I did I would never work in London again and he knew where my family lived. I felt scared and sick."
Lawyers also said they were representing women who had worked at Al Fayed’s other major business ventures but not at Fulham Football Club, where he was chair.
Ms Mulla said: “We are aware of allegations that have been made at other places of work.
"We also represent women who were employed by the Ritz.
"We don't at this stage represent any women who, for instance, sustained attacks at Fulham Football Club.
"But our investigations are obviously ongoing into all these entities that he had an involvement in."
Mr Al Fayed bought Fulham in 1997 and under his ownership they rose to the top half of the Premier League in the early 2000s, peaking in qualification for the Europa League.
He sold the team in 2013.
A Fulham FC spokesperson said: "We are deeply troubled and concerned to learn of the disturbing reports following yesterday's documentary. We have sincere empathy for the women who have shared their experiences.
"We are in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is or has been affected. Should any person wish to share information or experiences relating to these allegations, we encourage them to contact the club at safeguarding@fulhamfc.com or the police."
Speaking in a football press conference later on Friday, the club's manager Marco Silva said: "It's always important for the club to put a statement out. From myself, and I'm speaking on behalf of the football club, it is really sad for us to hear. But there's nothing more from me. The statement from the club was clear."
A spokeswoman for the Ritz Paris said: "The Ritz Paris strongly condemns any form of behaviour that does not align with the values of the establishment.
"The hotel upholds the highest standards of professionalism and has a steadfast commitment to fostering an environment where employees and guests are treated with respect and integrity.
"The safety and wellbeing of our employees and guests are our absolute priority."
Another barrister, Bruce Drummond told the press conference said it is "one of the worst cases of corporate sexual exploitation" that he and "perhaps the world has ever seen".
He said: "This is one of the worst cases of corporate sexual exploitation that certainly I, and perhaps the world has ever seen.
"It was absolutely horrific and I can't stress that word enough."
He added that "the system that procured them was enabling the abuse".
Victims in the case come from the UK, Malaysia, Australia, Italy, Romania, the US and Canada, among other countries, he said.
A Harrods spokesperson said it is “appalled” by the claims of sexual abuse under the previous owner, and that is has been settling claims brought by victims as quickly as possible.
“These were the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power wherever he operated and we condemn them in the strongest terms,” a spokesperson said.
“We also acknowledge that during this time his victims were failed and for this we sincerely apologise. We are doing everything we can to fix this.
“The Harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Al Fayed between 1985 and 2010, it is one that seeks to put the welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do.”
