Three women have been interviewed under caution on suspicion of facilitating one of Britain’s worst sexual abuse scandals involving former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed and his alleged attacks spanning four decades.
Scotland Yard said the number of victims had reached 154 women, who are feared to have suffered rape and sexual assault by Fayed, or sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
The Metropolitan police said the three suspects, aged between 40, 50 and 60, had been questioned under caution in recent fortnights.
Under pressure from those representing victims, the Met said the allegations also included trafficking in women, at least some of whom were attacked by Al Fayed. The force said the number of victims had reached 154 women.
The Met said: “They were questioned on suspicion of the following offences: complicity in rape and sexual assault, assisting in the commission of sexual offenses and trafficking in persons for the purposes of sexual exploitation.”
Police said no arrests had yet been made. The Guardian understands that detectives have identified several more suspects who will be questioned in the coming months over allegations they may have facilitated or permitted the abuse.
Commander Angela Craggs of the Met said: “The victims remain at the center of this investigation. Today’s update marks an important step in a complex and far-reaching investigation.
“While Al Fayed is no longer alive to face trial, we have always been determined to bring to justice anyone suspected of involvement in his crime.
“We encourage anyone with information, whether they have been directly affected by Mohamed Al Fayed’s actions or have concerns about others who may have been involved or committed crimes, to contact us. Information can also be shared anonymously with Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via their online form.”
Fayed died in 2023 at the age of 94 and faces accusations that over four decades he used his wealth and power to attack dozens of women, with his youngest victim being just 13 years old.
His death means he has escaped prosecution but police, stunned by accusations he failed to commit his crime while alive, are searching for those who helped Fayed become one of Britain’s most notorious sex offenders.
The offenses Fayed is accused of spanning between 1977 and 2014, and the Met said around 400 offenses may have been committed.
Before his death, 21 complaints were made about Fayed to the police, but he evaded justice.
Police said they examined more than 50,000 pages of evidence, including victim and impact statements, and recovered “significant amounts of material” from previous reports about Fayed stored in their files.
Harrods has created a scheme to compensate victims which will end on March 31. So far, the owners of the luxury London store said they have received 180 complaints.
The Met said: “Over the past 18 months, officers have taken detailed accounts from victims and witnesses to build a full picture of the alleged crime.
“The information shared during these conversations, together with ongoing partnership work across the UK and abroad, has expanded the scope of the investigation to cover all reported crimes, including human trafficking.”
