Three former Harrods employees have accused Ali Fayed, the surviving brother of Mohamed Al Fayed, of sexual assault during the 1990s when the siblings owned the department store.
The women allege that the assaults took place across multiple locations including London, Scotland, Switzerland and the United States.
The accusations come as the Metropolitan Police investigate claims against Mohamed Al Fayed, who died in August 2023.
A spokesman for Ali Fayed, 82, who lives in America, said he “unequivocally denies any and all the allegations of wrongdoing”.
The accusations come as the Metropolitan Police investigate claims against Mohamed Al Fayed, who died in August 2023
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The spokesman added that “the alleged incidents simply never occurred” and that Ali “will not be scapegoated”.
“He will robustly defend himself against these unsubstantiated claims and will not allow false accusations to go unchallenged,” the spokesman said.
One accuser, Frances, said she encountered Ali while renovating his farmhouse on Mohamed’s Scottish estate, where she claims he “groped” and “molested” her.
She described a particularly distressing alleged incident in 1992 at Ali’s Connecticut house, where she was working on interior design.
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Mohamed Al Fayed was accused of rape and sexual assault by dozens of women over a period of at least 20 yearsPAFrances claimed he was waiting in her room as she undressed in the bathroom, allegedly attempting to assault her before being interrupted by one of his children.
“To this day I suffer with terrible anxiety and panic attacks,” she told the BBC.
A second accuser, Amy, who worked as a personal assistant to Mohamed, said she “endured” abuse from both brothers, believing “that was just what being a young woman meant, it was a hazard of the workplace”.
She claims Ali “groped and fondled” her in a swimming pool in Switzerland, where Mohamed had instructed her to stay alone with his brother for several days.
A third woman, Laura, said Mohamed called her to his office “with a smirk on his face” before directing her to meet his brother Ali.
She alleges Ali invited her to his office building, where he presented her with wine and a necklace before subjecting her to a serious sexual assault that left her “numbed with fear”.
The necklace, which Laura kept, was recently valued at £6,500.
Harrods, which came under new ownership in 2010, acknowledged the ‘breadth of abuse’ by Mohamed Al Fayed and the ‘serious allegations’ against his brother Ali.
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The allegations against Ali emerge amid a broader investigation into his late brother Mohamed Al Fayed’s conduct at Harrods.
The Metropolitan Police revealed that 111 women have now come forward with allegations against the former Harrods boss.
All three women pursuing the current claims against Ali said they did not feel able to speak out at the time and are now seeking civil legal action through Justice for Harrods Survivors.
Harrods, which came under new ownership in 2010, acknowledged the “breadth of abuse” by Mohamed Al Fayed and the “serious allegations” against his brother Ali.
The store said it “supports the bravery of all survivors in coming forward” and encourages them to seek compensation through the Harrods scheme.
The scheme offers compensation, counselling support and access to an independent survivor advocate.
“We cannot and would not comment on individual cases,” Harrods added.