Mohamed Al Fayed's brother Ali 'may have evidence of human trafficking'

A woman who claims she was raped and abused for a 'substantial period of time' after she was targeted by Al Fayed in the mid-90s aged just 19 says his younger sibling was allegedly aware she was trafficked

Mohamed Al Fayed's brother Ali was allegedly aware that the Harrods boss trafficked a woman who claims in newly lodged court papers that she was “raped and brutally abused”, it has been reported.

The woman, identified only as Jane Doe because she said she fears retaliation, claims that Ali Fayed may have evidence of the abuse and that Harrods was allegedly complicit in it. Ali Fayed, who is 80 and has a home in Greenwich, Connecticut, is a former director of the luxury store and the current chairman of a 139-year-old British shirt maker that supplies the royal family. Ms Doe is a US resident and she made the claims in a petition filed on Tuesday to a Federal District Court in the country.

She has instructed the UK law firm Leigh Day to pursue a civil claim against Harrods and others who she said were complicit in facilitating her alleged abuse. Ms Doe said she is seeking evidence from Ali Fayed for use in that legal action. She and her lawyers claim that Ali Fayed was a witness to her trafficking and has “unique and critical evidence regarding the direction, operation, and knowledge of a more than two-decade long trafficking scheme that ensnared and irrevocably injured what is reported to be more than 100 women.”

Ms. Doe said she was hired by Harrods at age 19 in the mid-1990s to work as a salesperson as reported in the New York Times. She claims she was soon interviewed by Al Fayed and invited to work in Harrods’ executive training program, reporting directly to his office. Ms Doe claims she was subjected to a medical examination arranged by Harrods that included an AIDS test. She said in the court filing that she was then taken by Al Fayed aboard in a Harrods helicopter and private jet, and was trafficked, raped and “brutally abused” over a “substantial period of time” while being subject to surveillance.

Ms. Doe said she spoke to Ali Fayed a number of times during this period, detailing in the filing that he joked about her working as a secretary, and that she heard him making arrangements for a woman to be made available to him in London. She said that during this period she was shown explicit Polaroid photographs of other women or girls who she believed were physically and sexually abused. Ms Doe said that she told an unnamed member of the Fayed family about the trafficking, and that he said he knew of others. A medical examination performed after she left Harrods confirmed signs of physical abuse, according to the court filings.

The legal action comes in the wake of a BBC documentary which revealed a string of rape and abuse claims against the tycoon, who died last year aged 94. The claim states that Ms. Doe was forced to sign a nondisclosure agreement that prevented her from sharing information about her employment or alleged abuse, including to police. It does not directly bring legal claims against Ali Fayed and instead paves the way for evidence to be collected. A judge will now review the claim and Ali Fayed could be required to give evidence and disclose documents. The New York Times said Ali Fayed could not immediately be reached for comment.

Harrods, in response to a request to comment on the new allegations on Tuesday said, “Mr. Ali Fayed ceased to be a director when the business changed ownership in 2010.” The company acknowledged in a statement in September that it had "failed our employees" who were Al Fayed's victims and announced that it had established a claims programme for former employees.

Alleged victims claim that they were "required" to have invasive tests for sexually transmitted diseases by a doctor, who then shared the results with Al Fayed. He is also accused of deploying Harrods staff, a former senior Met Police officer, lawyers and PR agents to threaten women, and of spying by using hidden cameras and bugs. Scotland Yard has said 21 alleged victims came forward to accuse Al Fayed of abuse before his death but no charges were ever brought.

The New York Times said Ali Fayed could not immediately be reached for comment. Harrods, in response to a request to comment said on Tuesday said, “Mr. Ali Fayed ceased to be a director when the business changed ownership in 2010.” The Mirror has contacted one of Ali Fayed's companies for comment from him.