Former Harrods Employees Accuse Al Fayed Brothers of Sexual Abuse and Trafficking

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Three former employees of Harrods department store have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse and trafficking by Salah Fayed, a brother of Mohamed Al Fayed, from 1989 to 1997. The women, who shared their experiences with the BBC, claim that Salah abused them in various locations, including London, the south of France, and Monaco. One of the women, identified as Helen, has waived her right to anonymity, sharing painful details of her experiences after decades of silence.

 

Helen, who was 23 and enjoying what she described as her "dream" job at Harrods, alleges that Mohamed Al Fayed raped her in a Dubai hotel room. She recalls, "It was like out of a horror film... I was in my nightie, and he grabbed my hand, started pulling me out of the bathroom. I was really trying to stop him, but I couldn't." She describes feeling helpless and far from home, isolated from anyone who might support her. Following the incident, she was instructed to sign a non-disclosure agreement with Harrods. "They've stolen a part of me," she says. "It's changed the course of my entire life." The agreement, Helen says, as well as her fear of reprisal, prevented her from speaking out for over 35 years.

 

In an attempt to escape further encounters with Mohamed Al Fayed, Helen accepted an offer to work for his younger brother, Salah. She thought this opportunity would provide her with a fresh start, but her relief was short-lived. Helen recalls Salah offering her champagne, after which she began to feel disoriented. "Within a few sips, I was starting to feel a bit groggy... it was a really dizzy and weird feeling," she explains. At one point, Salah pressured her to try a bong with crack cocaine, assuring her, "This will make you feel better." This is the last memory Helen has of the evening, which she believes ended with her unconscious and defenseless.

 

She remembers regaining consciousness on a couch in a different room, feeling confused and physically unwell. Her jeans were unbuttoned, and her belt was missing. Helen recalls a painful sensation between her legs and, upon discovering semen, realized what had likely happened. "I knew then what had happened. I knew," she says.

 

In the aftermath, Helen says that Salah contacted Mohamed in her presence, speaking in Arabic. She recalls, "All I could hear was them laughing to each other." As Salah walked her back to her apartment, he introduced her to a friend who had apparently seen her the previous night. Helen now believes that Salah's friend also assaulted her while she was unconscious.

 

Two other former Harrods employees shared similar allegations of abuse by both Mohamed and Salah Fayed. One of these women claims she was manipulated into trying crack cocaine, after which Salah would exploit her vulnerability. "He was trying to get me hooked on crack so he could do whatever he wanted to me," she told the BBC.

 

Helen, who eventually resigned from Harrods, expresses profound grief over her experiences and the impact they’ve had on her life. "I didn’t want to see his face again," she says. Reflecting on the years of silence that followed, Helen shares that breaking her silence now, even after so long, feels essential: "It's the hardest thing I've ever had to say." 

 

These accounts shed light on the alleged misuse of power within Harrods and the personal toll on the women involved. Their decision to come forward, despite fears of retaliation, reflects their determination to seek accountability and validate their experiences after decades of feeling voiceless.

 

Based on a report by BBC 2024-11-16