London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed on Wednesday that it has opened a new investigation into sexual assault allegations against the late Harrods owner, Mohamed Al-Fayed, with the probe so far identifying 90 victims, news agency AFP reported.
The investigation follows a BBC documentary aired in September, which exposed several rape and sexual assault claims against the Egyptian billionaire who passed away in August last year at the age of 94. Since then, over 400 women and witnesses have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct, raising questions about how the police handled complaints spanning several decades.
The Metropolitan Police said that “numerous victims, some reporting multiple offences” had come forward after a public appeal. They added that a dedicated unit would “review all reports and pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry.”
Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that five unnamed individuals, suspected of assisting Al-Fayed, are being investigated as potential “facilitators.” Scotland Yard also launched a large-scale review to assess whether earlier investigations missed opportunities and if there is evidence to hold any current or former police officers accountable for corruption.
Last month, The Guardian reported claims that corrupt officers helped Al-Fayed target staff members, including a young woman who allegedly rejected his sexual advances.
The investigation now includes 111 alleged abuse cases, with 21 victims reporting crimes to the police between 2005 and Al-Fayed’s death, and 90 women coming forward after the BBC documentary aired. The police previously identified 60 potential victims.
Detectives are investigating “a number of individuals associated with” Al-Fayed to determine their roles in assisting or facilitating the alleged offences. They are also reviewing past investigations to identify “missed opportunities,” noting that investigative practices have “progressed significantly over the last 20 years.”
The police have already reviewed more than 50,000 pages of evidence, including victim and impact statements.
“This investigation is about giving survivors a voice, despite the fact that Mohamed Al-Fayed is no longer alive to face prosecution,” said Commander Stephen Clayman of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command. “However, we are now pursuing any individuals suspected to have been complicit in his offending, and we are committed to seeking justice.”
Clayman acknowledged that “past events may have impacted the public’s trust and confidence in our approach,” but emphasized that the force is “determined to rebuild that trust by addressing these allegations with integrity and thoroughness.”
Crimes occurred between 1977 to 2014
The crimes Mohamed Al-Fayed is accused of spanning from 1977 to 2014. The Metropolitan Police have already reviewed over 50,000 pages of evidence, including victim and impact statements, and retrieved “significant amounts of material” from archived investigations, according to The Guardian.
As part of the inquiry, detectives from the Directorate of Professional Standards are investigating whether any current or former police officers were involved in misconduct. They are reviewing a witness statement from Bob Loftus, a former security director at Harrods, who claimed that one ex-Met commander received luxury hampers “whenever he had been a particularly great help to Harrods.”
Earlier this month, the Met referred itself to the UK police watchdog following complaints from two women regarding its handling of investigations into Al-Fayed’s alleged sexual abuse.
In recent weeks, new accusations have surfaced against Al-Fayed’s late brother, Salah Fayed, who died in 2010 and co-owned Harrods at the time of the alleged abuse. Additionally, The New York Times reported this month that a victim accused another brother, Ali, now 80, of being aware of the “trafficking” of women.
