Case Overview
Motley Rice and U.K. law firm Leigh Day investigated claims from individuals who allege they were trafficked, raped, physically abused and exploited between 1985 and 2010 while employed by famed luxury department store, Harrods. Based on claims in a recent BBC documentary, there is reason to believe numerous people were subjected to these alleged abuses. The survivors may have worked in locations other than the London store while employed by Harrods.
The BBC’s “Mohamed Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods”
The September 2024 BBC documentary titled "Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods" shares the alleged experiences of over a dozen women while the department store was under the leadership of Mohamed Al Fayed. Learn more about the BBC’s report in this article and podcast.
An individual represented by Motley Rice and Leigh Day shared the following statement: “The bravery of my fellow survivors who have spoken out about their suffering during their time employed by Harrods is utterly inspiring. I hope that other survivors are emboldened by the strength in numbers to shine more light on abuses that have life-long impacts. I believe this is necessary to help ensure young people today are better protected than I was.”
A decades-long trafficking scheme?
This new documentary isn’t the first profile about sex abuse allegations involving former Harrods owner Mohamad Al Fayed. In September 1995 (nearly three decades ago), Vanity Fair published an article titled Holy War at Harrods. According to Henry Porter, former U.K. editor of Vanity Fair, Al Fayed sued the publication (owned by Conde Nast) and the reporter of the article for libel.
In August 1997, the case was in discovery and seven women had agreed to give affidavits, when the judge delayed the trial to autumn 1998. The case was later settled out of court for an undisclosed sum after Al Fayed’s son Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana died in August 1997. Porter recently authored an article in The Independent about the situation.
Motley Rice and Leigh Day represent a woman who claims she was sexually and physically abused, exploited and trafficked after being recruited to Harrods’ executive training program. This abuse allegedly occurred over a significant period and included doctors performing HIV tests and gynecological exams. Harrods allegedly created an organized trafficking effort within the company. This effort allegedly included the assistance of security personnel, physicians and others alleged to have witnessed and facilitated the abuse without reporting it or intervening.
“Other cases with similar blueprints and patterns of abuse have been litigated by Motley Rice,” Motley Rice member attorney Linda Singer said. “Survivors who choose to come forward, whether publicly or anonymously, can drive public awareness and accountability for those who were instrumental in carrying out and concealing this alleged trafficking scheme.”
Our client is also urging the United Kingdom government to hold a statutory public inquiry into the claims of abuse allegedly carried out by Mohamad Al Fayed and the role of others who allegedly facilitated the abuse or failed to take action to stop it. Our client is also requesting the inquiry to include a review of the legal strategies allegedly used by Mohamad Al Fayed and Harrods, which allegedly resulted in the suppression and destruction of evidence of criminality and the failure to report the commission of serious crimes. Statutory public inquiries have powers under the Inquiries Act in the U.K. to compel disclosure and witnesses.
“I believe MP Jess Phillips told the ‘Today’ program that she would be led by what survivors might want to see in terms of investigations – well, I am one of those survivors, and I am asking for a statutory inquiry to be held,” the Motley Rice and Leigh Day client said. “I hope that, as Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, she will support my call and put this in motion as soon as possible. This needs to be handled by the right people in the right way to ensure systematic change for the long term, where survivors are put at the heart of the process and are given back the power.”
Human trafficking and sexual abuse lawsuit experience
Motley Rice attorneys are familiar with the sensitive nature of sexual abuse cases. We currently represent several survivors of childhood sexual abuse by clergy members, teachers and other perpetrators. Our attorneys also represented survivors in the Boy Scouts of America and Skip ReVille abuses. Motley Rice also works in conjunction with state attorneys general and local governments to collaborate on issues of great concern to the public interest. This includes representing the U.S. Virgin Islands in litigation related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking and other governmental entities in sex trafficking cases.
Advocacy
Motley Rice’s advocacy continues outside of the courtroom. We are proud to support a number of national and local not-for-profit organizations, such as Child USA, Doors to Freedom, the Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center. These organizations seek to bring awareness to trafficking, provide a safe haven to survivors, and provide access to recovery services.
The BBC’s “Mohamed Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods”
A decades-long trafficking scheme?
Human trafficking and sexual abuse lawsuit experience
About the Author
Linda Singer
Member
Linda Singer represents governments, attorneys general and other public entities in high-impact, high-stakes litigation and investigations as head of the firm’s Public Client practice area. The former Attorney General of the District of Columbia, Linda’s knowledge and experience includes serving in the public, not-for-profit and private sectors.