‘A monster’: lawyers for Mohamed Al Fayed’s alleged victims liken case to Savile
GuardianSEP 14 2024
Mohamed Al Fayed, the late former owner of both British department store Harrods and soccer team Fulham FC, is facing new allegations of sexual abuse related to his ownership of the soccer club from 1997-2013.The late Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of both British department store Harrods and soccer team Fulham FC, is facing new allegations of sexual abuse related to his ownership of the soccer club from 1997-2013.
The legal group Justice for Harrods Survivors (JHS), which already represents 60 women, said 200 people from around the world have now made allegations, including serial rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse of minors.The legal group Justice for Harrods Survivors, which already represents 60 alleged victims, said that they have now received over 200 inquiries from additional victims on accusations including serial rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse of minors.
According to Gaute Haugenes, who managed Fullham from 2001-2003, Al Fayed like "liked young, blonde girls,." He added that players on the Fulham women's team, which was created under Al Fayed's ownership, weren't allowed to be alone with him.Gaute Haugenes, who managed Fulham from 2001-2003, suggested that players on the Fulham women's team, which was created under Al Fayed's ownership, weren't allowed to be alone with him.
Mohamed Al Fayed waswill ago monsterdown onas paramong withthe Jimmymost Savile,notorious Harveyabusers Weinstein,in andrecent Jeffrey Epsteinhistory. His money and power, particularly as the owner of the department store, allowed him to build a dangerously toxic work environment where he could abuse women with impunity. It's tragic that due to this power, his victims only felt capable of speaking up after his death.
TheThis case of Al Fayed goes far beyond a toxic work environment and all the way to the top of the British government and the Royal Familysociety. It's no wonder that the man who boughthad offfinancial ties to members of parliament and had a relationship with the former Duke of Windsor was never prosecuted. Women were likely kept quiet not just by their powerful boss but by the entire upper echelon of British society — this is an issue of deep systemic abuse.