Mohamed Al Fayed’s surviving brother accused of sexual assaults

The surviving brother of former Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed has "unequivocally" denied claims he sexually assaulted three ex-employees while they worked at the department store. Speaking to the BBC, the women allege Ali Fayed, 82, assaulted them in the 1990s but a spokesperson for the businessman told the broadcaster he will "not be scapegoated", adding: "The incidents simply never took place.". All three women have claimed that before being allegedly assaulted by Ali Fayed, they had been abused or harassed by his older brother, Mr Al Fayed.

The BBC said the alleged sexual assaults happened in London, Scotland, Switzerland and the United States. Police have previously said more than 100 women have made allegations against Mr Al Fayed, Ali's older brother. Complaints against the Metropolitan Police over its handling of allegations against Mr Al Fayed will be investigated by the force itself under the direction of a watchdog, it was previously announced.

The Met is currently reviewing a total of 21 allegations that were made before Mr Al Fayed died in 2023, and referred two of these to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in November. One of the ex-employees who accuses Ali Fayed of sexual assault, a woman identified by the BBC only as Frances, told the broadcaster she did not feel able to stand up for herself while employed at Harrods. She said: "This is my chance to finally stand up for myself. I'm not going to be that scared 24-year-old who doesn't know what to do.".

Frances told the BBC the alleged sexual abuse started in Ali Fayed's office with him "trying to kiss" her, followed by him "groping" and "molesting" her. She added that Ali Fayed also sexually assaulted her in 1992 when she flew to Connecticut to discuss interior design plans with his wife, and when she visited Balnagown in the Scottish Highlands. A second woman, identified only as Amy, told the BBC Ali Fayed "groped" her on a trip to a swimming pool in Switzerland.

She told the broadcaster: "He pulled me in under the water, and groped and fondled me, making me feel very, very uncomfortable - very much trapped. "I was terrified thinking how am I going to get out of this.". The final alleged victim, whom the BBC called Laura, claimed she was subjected to a serious sexual assault at Ali Fayed's apartment which left her "numbed with fear". In response to the allegations, Ali Fayed's spokesperson said he "unequivocally denies any and all allegations of wrongdoing".

The spokesperson continued: "The alleged incidents simply never occurred. "Mr Fayed is not a perpetrator and will not be scapegoated. "He will robustly defend himself against these unsubstantiated claims and will not allow false accusations to go unchallenged.". The Justice for Harrods Survivors group, which represents a number of alleged victims of Mr Al Fayed, said: "It was clear from the very first days of our work on this case that other individuals beyond Mohamed Al Fayed were alleged to have been involved in the abuse of women and the concealment of their experiences.