MORE than 200 allegations of abuse, including rape and sexual assault, against Mohamed al-Fayed have now been made as dozens more came forward this week.
The Metropolitan Police said it was investigating 40 new allegations yesterday after the BBC said a further 65 women made claims on Thursday.
Among the new claims is a woman who says she was assaulted by Al-Fayed in Dubai in 1977, the earliest accusation of abuse so far.
The force said numerous people had come forward since the BBC’s investigation into the former Harrods and Fulham FC owner was published last month.
In a statement to the BBC, Harrods said: “Since the airing of the documentary, so far there are 200-plus individuals who are now in the Harrods process to settle claims directly with the business.”
The 40 new allegations relate to 40 alleged victims and are in addition to allegations police were aware of before the BBC’s investigation and documentary, Scotland Yard said.
Before the recent media coverage, 21 allegations were made against the late billionaire, which resulted in crimes being recorded relating to 21 separate women between 2005 and 2023.
The offences were alleged to have taken place between 1979 and 2013.
Four of the reports were allegations of rape, 16 were sexual assault and one related to trafficking, the Met said.
The Crown Prosecution Service was approached by Scotland Yard on five occasions between 2005 and 2023, the force said, but no further action was taken against Al-Fayed.
The force said that while it wouldn’t be able to bring criminal proceedings against Al-Fayed, who died last year aged 94, it would “continue to explore whether any other individuals could be pursued for any criminal offences.”
Met Commander Stephen Clayman said: “All these reports will need to be formally logged and assessed to see if there are any allegations of criminality that can be pursued.
“This will take time, but we will ensure those who contact us are kept updated with progress.”
Justice for Harrods Survivors said the number of women “feeling safe to come forward” was “increasing on a daily basis.”
A spokesman for the group, consisting of barristers, said that it “now retains 71 clients and is processing a further 220 inquiries.”
