Mohamed Al Fayed was a “monster” whose case involves the “most horrific elements of … Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”, his alleged victims’ legal team has said.
Five women alleged they had been raped by Mr Al Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, with a number of others alleging sexual misconduct.
A press conference which set out the claims made against the late Harrods’ owner heard there was a “systematic failure of corporate responsibility”.
Barrister Dean Armstrong KC told reporters: “And that systematic failure is on the shoulders of Harrods.”
The legal team also represents women who were employed by the Paris Ritz and investigations were ongoing into “all entities that he had involvement in”, including Fulham Football Club.
In a statement, Fulham said the club is “deeply troubled and concerned” about the case and were “in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is or has been affected”.
Mr Armstrong said compensation from Harrods for women who have claimed sexual abuse against Mr Al Fayed would be “welcome”, but added: “We are not going to sit here and accept any suggestion that we are only interested in money.”
The legal team featured in a BBC documentary called Al-Fayed: Predator At Harrods, where more than 20 female former employees spoke to the broadcaster as part of a special investigation, coming forward with allegations of assault and physical violence at properties in London and Paris.
Speaking at a press conference in London on Friday, Mr Armstrong KC said he had “never seen a case as horrific as this”.
He told reporters: “This case combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.
“Savile because in this case, as in that, the institution, we say, knew about the behaviour.
“Epstein because in that case, as in this, there was a procurement system in place to source the women and girls – as you know there are some very, young victims.
“And Weinstein, because it was a person at the very top of the organisation who was abusing his power.
“We will say plainly, Mohamed Al Fayed was a monster.”
Mr Armstrong said the legal team has been retained by 37 of Mr Al Fayed’s accusers and is “in the process of being retained by many more”.
Also at the press conference was an alleged victim of Mr Al Fayed, who went by the name of Natacha, and said the “fear instilled left me paralysed”.
She said: “These private meetings turned into more of a forced kiss, his hands gripping your face to his lips or pulling you down on his lap, where his hands were free to explore any part of your body that he wished.
“These incidents lasted seconds, but the fear instilled left me paralysed.
“Al Fayed brushed off these moments like they had never happened, but I was always reminded not to mention them to anyone.”
Natacha added: “Unbeknownst to me, I had walked into a lion’s den, a layer of cover-ups, deceit, lies, manipulation, humiliation and gross sexual misconduct.”
US lawyer Gloria Allred described Harrods as a “toxic, unsafe and abusive environment” under the chairmanship of Mr Al Fayed.
She told the press conference that the allegations against Mr Al Fayed include serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery and sexual abuse of minors.
Ms Allred said: “They involved doctors administering invasive gynaecological exams as a condition of employment for some of the employees who were targeted by Mohamed Al Fayed for sexual abuse.
“The allegations also include the unauthorised disclosure to Mohamed Al Fayed of the examination results of employees he targeted for sexual abuse.”
Barrister Bruce Drummond told the press conference that Harrods “must accept responsibility for the damage these women have suffered”.
He said: “This is one of the worst cases of corporate sexual exploitation that certainly I, and perhaps the world has ever seen.
“It was absolutely horrific and I can’t stress that word enough.”
Mr Al Fayed had previously been accused of sexually assaulting and groping multiple women, but a previous police investigation did not lead to any charges.
Harrods previously said it was “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse and said it had set up a page on its website inviting former employees to come forward if they have allegations.
