Mohamed Al Fayed – timeline of an alleged serial sexual predator

His sexual abuse, which has been under the spotlight for years, was not confined to his time as chairman of the luxury department store Harrods, according to lawyers for women who claim he assaulted them.

The late Mr Al Fayed was first accused of sexual abuse in the late 1980s, but the allegations did not lead to criminal charges.

On Friday, lawyer Bruce Drummond, who is representing some of the businessman’s alleged victims, said: “Reports of Al Fayed’s behaviour were made public as early as 1995.

“ITV aired a programme in 1997 covering matters. Publicists like Max Clifford thought it was funny and joked about it publicly.”

Here is a timeline of the allegations:

– 1995

Vanity Fair published an article aimed at exposing Mr Al Fayed’s behaviour.

He responded to it with a libel lawsuit, though he later agreed to drop the case as long as all the evidence the magazine had gathered in preparation for a trial was locked away.

A settlement was negotiated by a senior Harrods executive, the BBC reported.

– 1997

Four women on ITV’s The Big Story – in a programme entitled “Sex, Lies and Audiotape” – alleged that they were repeatedly groped, subjected to crude remarks and promised rewards in return for sex.

Mr Al Fayed reacted angrily to the allegations and issued a statement condemning the claims as outrageous and untrue, arguing that they were a repetition of allegations previously made in Vanity Fair magazine by disgruntled former employees.

Robert Loftus, a former Harrods security chief who claimed that Mr Al Fayed secretly but legally bugged employees, also appeared on the programme and alleged that the store owner did not care what he said to female staff.

In his statement, Mr Al Fayed said he was unable to comment in detail or contribute to the programme because he was not allowed to hear the allegations in advance and he questioned the motivation of the contributors to the programme.

– 2009

The Crown Prosecution Service, then led by Sir Keir Starmer, elected not to prosecute Mr Al Fayed following claims he had sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl in Harrods.

He denied all allegations against him and attended a voluntary police interview.

– 2015

The Crown Prosecution Service again elect not to prosecute Mr Al Fayed after reviewing a file of evidence presented by the police because there was not “a realistic prospect of conviction”.

– 2018
The Crown Prosecution Service provides early investigative advice to the Metropolitan Police following allegations made against Mr Al Fayed.

However, a full file of evidence was never received by the Crown Prosecution Service in this instance – or for allegations made in 2021 and 2023 – and each of these cases is given no further action by police.

– July 2023

Harrods began settling claims with women who came forward with claims of sexual abuse at the hands of Mr Al Fayed.

– August 2023

Mohamed Al Fayed died on August 30 in London. He was aged 94.

– September 2024

A BBC special investigation revealed that more than 20 women alleged they had been sexual assaulted by Mr Al Fayed.

Five women alleged they had been raped by Mr Al Fayed, the broadcaster reported.

At a press conference on September 20, lawyer Gloria Allred said the “ugly truth” is that under Mr Al Fayed’s chairmanship, Harrods was “a toxic, unsafe and abusive environment”.

She added: “The allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed include serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery and sexual abuse of minors.

“The allegations involve cover-ups, threats and a quarter century of sexual abuse by Mohamed Al Fayed after he purchased Harrods and became its chairman.”

Harrods’ current owners release a statement, in which they say they are “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by the late billionaire.