Former Harrods boss Al Fayed was a 'monster' who abused young women, lawyers for his accusers say

LONDON (AP) — Mohamed Al Fayed, the former boss of Harrods, was a “monster’ who raped and sexually abused young women, lawyers representing dozens of his accusers said Friday.

The abuse went on through much of Al Fayed's 25-year tenure — from 1985 on — at the helm of the world-renowned London department store, the lawyers said. They spoke at a televised news conference in London in the wake of the BBC documentary “Al-Fayed: Predator At Harrods.”

The four-member legal team told reporters they have been retained by 37 of Al Fayed’s accusers and were in the process of adding more clients, including potentially from other organizations that Al Fayed was involved with.

In the documentary, which was broadcast on Thursday, the Egypt-born Al Fayed who died last year at the age of 94, was accused of raping at least five women at his properties in London and Paris and of committing scores of other acts of assault and physical violence, both in and outside of Harrods.

“We will say it plainly: Mohamed Al Fayed was a monster,” said lead lawyer Dean Armstrong. “But he was a monster enabled by a system, a system that pervaded Harrods.”

Armstrong said the case combined “some of the most horrific elements” of cases such as those involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein — well-known and powerful men who were able to avoid sexual abuse allegations for years before their victims finally came forward.

Some of Al Fayed's accusers were teenagers at the time of the abuse, with at least one as young as 15, according to the BBC documentary.

London's Metropolitan Police have said they were made aware of allegations in the past and had questioned Al Fayed in 2008 in connection with the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old but prosecutors at the time did not take the cases forward.

There was also no comment from Al Fayed's family.

One of Al Fayed’s accusers spoke at the news conference. She was identified only as Natacha and said the billionaire businessman was “highly manipulative" and "preyed on the most vulnerable, those of us who needed to pay the rent and some of us who didn’t have parents to protect them.”

Natacha, who said she joined Al Fayed's team of personal assistants at the age of 19, recounted being invited to his private apartment one night “on the pretext of a job review.” When she arrived, she said she saw the bedroom door partially open with sex toys in view.

“I felt petrified. I perched myself at the very end of the sofa and then … Mohamed Al Fayed, my boss, the person I worked for, pushed himself onto me," she said.

After kicking herself free, she said Al Fayed threatened her.

“He laughed at me," she said. “He then composed himself and he told me, in no uncertain terms, that I was never to breathe a word of this to anyone and that if I did, I would never work in London again and he knew where my family lived.”

"I felt scared and sick,” she added.

In the United Kingdom, victims often identify themselves by only one name to protect their privacy. It wasn’t clear why Natacha gave only one name while appearing before cameras, or if that was her real first name.

The Associated Press does not identify victims of sexual assault unless they have come forward and voluntarily identified themselves. The team of lawyers could not immediately be reached for comment.

Al Fayed moved to Britain in the 1960s, after early investments in shipping in Italy and the Middle East, and started building an empire.

At the height of his wealth, he owned the Ritz hotel in Paris and the southwest London soccer team Fulham. He moved in high circles in London but was never knighted. He became a prominent conspiracy theorist after the Paris crash that killed his son Dodi and Princess Diana in 1997.

Al Fayed sold Harrods in 2010 to a company owned by the state of Qatar via its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority.

In a statement to the BBC, the Harrods owners said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse but added that they were only made aware of them last year.

“While we cannot undo the past, we have been determined to do the right thing as an organization, driven by the values we hold today, while ensuring that such behavior can never be repeated in the future," the owners said in a statement.

Armstrong dismissed Harrods' claim that the owners knew nothing of the sexual allegations made against Al Fayed over many years, citing several media reports in recent years over allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of Al Fayed. The BBC documentary said at least one of the women had signed a non-disclosure agreement.

“We are here to say publicly and to the world, or to Harrods in front of the world, that it is time that they took responsibility," Armstrong said. "That is something they should do as soon as possible.”

U.S. lawyer Gloria Allred, who has represented victims in some of the most notorious sexual abuse cases in recent years, including those about abuse by Epstein, Weinstein and Bill Cosby, also spoke and lambasted the culture at Harrods during Al Fayed's tenure.

“Harrods is often referred to as the most beautiful store in the world … many women dreamed of working there," she said. "However, underneath the Harrods glitz and glamour was a toxic, unsafe and abusive environment.”

Three of Mr Al Fayed's accusers, left to right, Katherine (no surname given), Lindsay Mason and Gemma (no surname given), pose for a photograph after a press conference about the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

FILE - Egyptian businessman and Ritz hotel owner Mohammed Al Fayed poses with his hotel staff in Paris, Monday, June 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu, File)

One of Mr Al Fayed's accusers, Natacha (right), no surname given, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' is reassured by American Attorney Gloria Allred after speaking during a press conference to discuss her involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Dean Armstrong KC, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' speaks during a press conference to discuss the involvement of the legal team in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

One of Mr Al Fayed's accusers, Natacha (no surname given), who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' attends a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Members of the legal team, barrister Bruce Drummond, left, and Dean Armstrong KC, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods', hold a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

From left, American attorney Gloria Allred, Natacha (no surname given) and barrister Maria Mulla, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' hold a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Natacha (no surname given), left, and barrister Maria Mulla, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' hold a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

One of Mr Al Fayed's accusers, Natacha (no surname given), who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' speaks during a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

One of Mr Al Fayed's accusers, Natacha (no surname given), who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods', looks on during a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Members of the legal team, Dean Armstrong KC and American attorney Gloria Allred, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' hold a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

The legal team, from left, barrister Bruce Drummond, Dean Armstrong KC, attorney Gloria Allred, Natacha and barrister Maria Mulla, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' attend a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Back-to-back hurricanes have jumbled the presidential campaign schedules of Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.

Trump and Harris have separately gone to Georgia to assess hurricane damage and pledge support. Harris also has visited North Carolina, requiring the candidates to cancel campaign events elsewhere and use up time that is a precious resource in the final weeks before any election. Both Georgia and North Carolina are political battlegrounds.

Meanwhile, a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that a solid majority of Hispanic women have a positive opinion of Harris and a negative view of Trump. Hispanic men are more divided on both candidates.

Follow the AP’s Election 2024 coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.

Here’s the latest:

President Joe Biden said ahead of a Friday briefing about hurricane damage that estimates are the Hurricane Milton alone caused $50 billion of damage, while adding that his predecessor, Donald Trump, is “just the biggest mouth” for disinformation about the government’s response.

The president added that the disinformation is a “permanent state of being for some extreme people,” but that he believes the country as a whole wants facts and bipartisan cooperation to address natural disasters.

“I think those who have been spreading these lies to try to undermine the opposition are going, gonna pay a price for it,” Biden added.

Donald Trump has been running a decidedly “bro-y” campaign.

But he will try to expand his appeal with women as he participates in a Fox News town hall focusing on issues impacting women

Fox News Channel announced that host Harris Faulkner will moderate the discussion in front of an audience of women.

“Women constitute the largest group of registered and active voters in the United States, so it is paramount that female voters understand where the presidential candidates stand on the issues that matter to them most,” Faulkner said said in a statement.

Trump’s campaign has aggressively courted men — especially younger men of color — with appearances on podcasts and sporting events popular with the demographic.

Polls have repeatedly shown he is seen more favorably by men than by women.

The Trump sit-down will be taped Tuesday and air the next day, Oct. 16th.

Fox says it has extended a standing invitation to Vice President Kamala Harris to participate in a town hall as well.

A trio of Wisconsin conservatives declared Friday that they support Democrat Kamala Harris rather than Donald Trump in the Nov. 5 election.

Charlie Sykes, a former conservative radio talk show host from Milwaukee; former Republican state Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz; and former Republican state representative and appellate judge David Deininger told reporters that Trump lacks the character and moral fiber to serve as president.

Sykes said the election is a referendum on constitutional values that the country had always taken for granted before Trump’s political ascendance.

“Republicans have decided winning or staying in power is more important than standing up for these values, which used to be fundamental,” Sykes said. “I’m going to be voting for Kamala Harris for president and it’s not a difficult choice for me. It’s absolutely essential to keep Donald Trump out of the White House.”

Schultz said the country needs real leadership.

“I continue to consider myself a good Republican but it’s time to put the good of the country ahead of the party,” Schultz said.

Deininger said Trump has lied to Americans “about just about everything.”

“A second Trump term would be far worse and far more dangerous,” Deininger said. “If he regains power, he won’t have guardrails to restrain him.”

Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris’ husband, says Donald Trump won’t debate his wife again because he was badly beaten in their first encounter.

“He’s afraid that that’s going to happen again,” Emhoff says in an interview for the MSNBC show “Morning Joe.”

The husband of the Democratic nominee says Trump would rather spread “this fog of misinformation and disinformation and gaslighting” than face Harris directly.

Emhoff says he doesn’t have the time to be angry at Trump’s criticisms of him and his wife, because that would be a “distraction” and the focus of the Democratic ticket is on campaigning to win the Nov. 5 election.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is firing back at Donald Trump in Michigan for insulting Detroit while campaigning in the city.

Trump said Thursday that if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the White House, “The whole country will be like — you want to know the truth? It’ll be like Detroit.”

Walz was to use a campaign event in nearby Warren, Michigan, to attack Trump’s record in the battleground state, according to prepared remarks shared by the campaign.

“Maybe if he ever spent any time in the Midwest, he’d know Detroit is experiencing a great American comeback. Crime is down. The city is growing. Factories are opening again,” he was to say. "But all these guys know about manufacturing is how to manufacture bulls—-.”

Walz plans to quote Trump campaigning in the state in 2016 promising that they “won’t lose one” automotive plant if he’s elected. ”I guess, technically, that wasn’t a lie — because he lost 6 of them across the country,” Walz was to say.

Walz also plans to reassure the auto-heavy state that Harris was not trying to ban gas-powered vehicles.

Vice President Kamala Harris will participate in a town hall hosted by Charlamagne tha God on Tuesday, the influential radio host announced on his show Friday.

The appearance comes as Harris’ campaign is looking to shore up support among Black men for her candidacy.

The announcement comes a day after former President Barack Obama delivered a forceful call for Black men to support Harris during a campaign swing in Pennsylvania.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says, “I don’t know if any of us do everything right,” as he tried to draw some distance between the Democratic ticket and President Joe Biden.

Speaking to ABC’s "Good Morning America,” Walz was asked whether he and Vice President Kamala Harris would have done anything different over the last four years.

“Look, I don’t know if any of us do everything right,” he replied. “But I can tell you he’s done everything in the best interests of the American public.”

Harris drew fire from former President Donald Trump when she told “The View” earlier this week that she couldn’t think of a difference with Biden — before saying she would put a Republican in her Cabinet if elected.

Walz also used the interview to try to walk back his call at a fundraiser this week to eliminate the electoral college. Harris’ campaign quickly stated it doesn't support such a move and Walz told ABC, “My position is the campaign’s position.”

Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz greets supporters after speaking at a campaign event, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Warren, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Republican vice president nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during a campaign event in Greensboro, N.C., Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks to the crowd during an early voting rally at Palo Verde High School in Tucson, Ariz., Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris poses for a photo with a supporter after speaking at a campaign event Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, on the Gila River Indian Community reservation in Chandler, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a meeting of the Detroit Economic Club, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)