Police have questioned a man over allegations of human trafficking and facilitating rape in connection with the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed. The suspect, in his 60s, was interviewed under caution this month after 154 people came forward to report sexual abuse by Fayed, the Metropolitan police said.
The interview follows the questioning of three women in their 40s, 50s and 60s between 25 February and 5 March on suspicion of aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting the commission of sexual offences and human trafficking for sexual exploitation. No arrests have been made and the investigation continues.
Scotland Yard previously said it was investigating more than five people who may have facilitated Fayed’s alleged crimes. Detectives have identified several more suspects to be questioned in the coming months over allegations they may have facilitated or enabled abuse.
Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94, allegedly used his wealth and power to attack scores of women over four decades, with his youngest victim aged 13. The alleged crimes span between 1977 and 2014, and police say about 400 offences may have been committed. Fayed also allegedly targeted employees at the Ritz hotel in Paris.
Before his death, 21 allegations about Fayed were made to police but he evaded justice. Police have now examined more than 50,000 pages of evidence, including victim statements, and retrieved significant material from previous reports about Fayed stored in their archives.
