Evidence Against Mohamed Al-Fayed Was Presented to British Prosecution Services Twice Before New Allegations

Mar. 15, 2025

Mohamed Al-Fayed in London on Jan. 8, 2007.Photo:Peter Macdiarmid/Getty

Peter Macdiarmid/Getty

The U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was twice presented with evidence againstMohamed Al-Fayed— the lateHarrodsowner who has since been accused of multiple rapes — though the organization determined there was not a “realistic prospect of conviction” both times.

“In each instance, our prosecutors looked carefully at the evidence and concluded this wasn’t the case,” the statement added.

Mohamed Al Fayed arrives at the High Court on February 20, 2008 in London.Peter Macdiarmid/Getty

According toThe Independent, which cited a spokesperson for Metropolitan Police, authorities investigated “various allegations of sexual offenses made over a number of years” against the late Harrods owner, which “no charges resulted" from.

An investigating police force must provide a file of evidence to CPS in order for it to be formally involved in an investigation.

AsThe Sunday Timesfirst reported, in 2018, 2021 and 2023, the CPS provided investigative advice to Met Police over other allegations against Al-Fayed, but a full file of evidence was not given.

According to a recent report from theBBC, five women claimed Al-Fayed raped them when they worked at the luxury London department store, which he owned from 1985 to 2010.

As detailed in the new documentary and podcastAl Fayed: Predator at Harrods, over 20 female former employees provided testimony that Al-Fayed — who died in August 2023 — sexually assaulted them, with the alleged crimes said to have taken place in London, St. Tropez, Abu Dhabi and Paris.

Among the alleged victims are a woman who claimed Al-Fayed raped her at his London apartment, another woman who said he raped her when she was a teenager and one other woman named Sophia (who worked as his personal assistant from 1988 to 1991) who claimed she was sexually assaulted and that he tried to rape her more than once, per the BBC.

Another personal assistant named Gemma, who worked for him from 2007 to 2009, claimed he raped her at Villa Windsor in Paris.

“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,” the statement continued. “We also acknowledge that during this time as a business, we failed our employees who were his victims and for this, we sincerely apologize.”

Lawyer Dean Armstrong, who is representingsome of Al-Fayed’s alleged victims, said on Friday, Sept. 20, that a website has been set up to enable others to come forward.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.

source: people.com