A former supervisor of Fulham has revealed that workers made certain feminine gamers have been by no means left alone with proprietor Mohamed Al Fayed.
The Egyptian businessman, who has been accused of raping 5 girls, purchased the west London membership for a reported £30million in 1997, over a decade after he grew to become the proprietor of luxurious retail outlet Harrods.
However it was in the course of the early 2000s that workers reportedly grew to become conscious that the late billionaire ‘appreciated younger, blonde women’, which prompted them to place measures in place to guard among the feminine gamers, based on the BBC.
Gaute Haugenes, who managed the staff from 2001 to 2003, informed the broadcaster that girls have been evaded Al-Fayed to make ‘certain that conditions could not happen’.
He added that it was not a ‘largest shock’ to listen to of the rape accusations in opposition to Al-Fayed, who can also be accused of sexual assault by greater than 15 girls.
Mohamed Al Fayed, who died final yr aged 94, is accused of raping and assaulting a number of girls throughout his time as Harrods proprietor from 1985 to 2010. He’s seen right here unveiling a statue in tribute to Michael Jackson at Craven Cottage on April 3, 2011
Mohamed Al-Fayed stands in entrance of the east stand of Craven Cottage, in 1997 – the identical yr he purchased the membership
Haugenes additionally claimed that his wage was paid by Harrods as a substitute of Fulham FC throughout his time as supervisor.
He informed the BBC: ‘When the payslip got here from Harrods it was fairly unusual. Additionally, the contract mentioned that they might put me within the meals store in Dublin if that was what I needed. It will by no means have occurred immediately,’ he mentioned.
Fulham FC has introduced that it’s investigating whether or not anybody on the membership was additionally a sufferer of the Harrods proprietor and invited individuals to return ahead with any details about such allegations.
A Fulham FC spokesperson mentioned: ‘We’re deeply troubled and anxious to study of the disturbing experiences following yesterday’s documentary. Now we have honest empathy for the ladies who’ve shared their experiences.
‘We’re within the course of of building whether or not anybody on the membership is or has been affected. Ought to any particular person want to share info or experiences relating to those allegations, we encourage them to contact the membership at [email protected] or the police.’
Underneath his possession they rose to the highest half of the Premier League within the early 2000s, peaking in qualification for the Europa League. He offered the staff in 2013.
A number of girls have already come ahead to assert Al-Fayed sexually abused them within the Knightsbridge retailer and at his luxurious properties within the UK and on overseas journeys overseas.
In a bombshell press convention on Friday, attorneys representing a few of Al-Fayed’s victims confirmed that at this stage they didn’t characterize any girls who ‘sustained assaults’ at Fulham FC.
Late billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed has been described as ‘a monster’ amid claims he raped a number of girls working for him at Harrods
Al-Fayed has been in comparison with sexual predators Jimmy Savile (left) and Jeffrey Epstein (proper).
Elsewhere, Barrister Dean Armstrong KC informed the press convention that the case of Al-Fayed ‘combines among the most horrific components of the instances involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein’.
He mentioned: ‘I’ve a few years of apply… I’ve by no means seen a case as horrific as this.
‘This case combines among the most horrific components of the instances involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.
‘Savile as a result of on this case, as in that, the establishment, we are saying, knew concerning the behaviour.
‘Epstein as a result of in that case, as on this, there was a procurement system in place to supply the ladies and women – as you understand there are some very younger victims.
‘And Weinstein, as a result of it was an individual on the very prime of the organisation who was abusing his energy.
‘We’ll say plainly, Mohamed Al-Fayed was a monster.’
Greater than 100 girls have gotten involved with the authorized staff representing a few of Al Fayed’s accusers for the reason that BBC documentary aired on Thursday night, barrister Bruce Drummond mentioned.
Mr Drummond revealed on Friday that there have been about 100 enquiries. The staff is already representing 37 girls.
Talking earlier to reporters from throughout the worldwide press, he added: ‘This is likely one of the worse instances of sexual exploitation that I and maybe the world has ever seen.
‘It was horrific, simply horrific. It is horrific due to the acts carried out on these girls and women.
‘It was horrific as a result of it was the system that procured them, enabling the abuse of those younger girls and its horrific, as a result of the impact this sexual abuse and of Harrods’ institutional betrayal have had on our shoppers.’
It comes as one among Al Fayed’s alleged victims informed the press convention how the billionaire businessman was ‘extremely manipulative’ and left her ‘petrified’ as he abused her.
In chilling testimony, the lady – often called solely Natacha – mentioned becoming a member of Harrods was like ‘strolling right into a lion’s den’ and mentioned Al-Fayed ‘preyed on probably the most susceptible’.
Considered one of Mohamed Al-Fayed’s alleged victims, who glided by the title Natacha (pictured), informed the press convention the billionaire businessman was ‘extremely manipulative’.
Barrister Bruce Durmmond (left) and Dean Armstrong KC, who represented the feminine former workers of Harrods
The BBC documentary says the Egyptian-born businessman – who died in London aged 94 final August – carried out the assaults whereas Harrods boss between 1984 and its sale in 2010
Branding Al-Fayed a ‘sick predator’, she mentioned: ‘Mohamed was intelligent and extremely manipulative.
Talking concerning the alleged abuse she suffered by the hands of Al-Fayed, Natacha continued: ‘Mohamed Al-Fayed, a sick predator, lured me in by utilizing the identical modus operandi he used time and time once more.
‘I used to be subjected to Aids and STD testing with out consent, and now imagine in hindsight, I used to be checked for my purity.’
Talking about what occurred in conferences with Al-Fayed, Natacha mentioned: ‘These personal conferences became extra of a pressured kiss, his arms gripping your face to his lips or pulling you down on his lap, the place his arms have been free to discover any a part of your physique that he wished.
‘These incidents lasted seconds, however the worry instilled left me paralysed.
‘Al-Fayed dismissed these moments like that they had by no means occurred, however I used to be at all times reminded to not point out them to anybody.’
Mr Armstrong KC mentioned it’s time Harrods ‘took duty’ and ‘set issues proper’.
He informed the press convention: ‘We’re right here to say publicly and to the world, or to Harrods in entrance of the world, that it’s time that they took duty, and it’s time that they set issues proper, and that’s one thing they need to do as quickly as doable.
‘They should resist settle for the duty, that they’ve full culpability for the abuse that these girls suffered.
‘At present, we’re going to set out our declare and the way our declare reveals an abject failure of company duty and a failure to offer a protected system of labor.’
Through the press convention, barrister Maria Mulla informed how feminine employees have been tormented and threatened by the billionaire alleged intercourse pest.
Dean Armstrong KC, who featured in ‘Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods’ speaks throughout a press convention to debate the involvement of the authorized staff within the investigation and the authorized declare in opposition to Harrods
Natacha, who says she was sexually abused by Al-Fayed, described him as a ‘monster’
Gemma, who labored for Fayed between 2007 and 2009, is amongst these accusing him and featured in a BBC documentary on Thursday night
Girls would typically must ‘converse in some type of code’ and if feminine employees ever complained they might ‘obtain threats alongside the strains of you’ll by no means work in London once more’, the barrister mentioned as she laid naked the horrifying accusations.
Describing the threats, Ms Mulla mentioned workers have been informed ‘I do know the place you and your loved ones reside’ by safety officers allegedly working for Al-Fayed.
‘Usually they might be demoted and false allegations made about them so they might don’t have any selection however to go away Harrods,’ she added.
‘Threats have been additionally made about police motion by the safety staff.’
One lady who had the ‘braveness and bravado’ to report her sexual assault in a written grievance was threatened hours later.
‘One lady we rep was sexually assaulted and she or he had the bravery and braveness to boost this in a proper written grievance to Harrods.
‘On the identical day the top of safety, John Macnamara mentioned, ‘you’re a woman alone in London, somebody may leap out the bushes at you or you possibly can have a sudden accident,’ Ms Mulla mentioned.
‘She in fact did what she was informed as a result of she was completely petrified.’
One other lady tried to resign to ‘get away from it’, Ms Mulla added, claiming the sufferer had additionally been threatened.
US lawyer Gloria Allred informed the press convention Harrods was a ‘poisonous, unsafe and abusive surroundings’ below the chairmanship of Mohamed Al-Fayed.
She mentioned: ‘The allegations in opposition to Mohamed Al-Fayed embody serial rape, tried rape, sexual battery, and sexual abuse of minors. They concerned docs administering invasive gynaecological exams as a situation of employment for among the workers who have been focused by Mohamed Al-Fayed for sexual abuse.
‘The allegations additionally embody the unauthorised disclosure to Mohamed Al-Fayed of the examination outcomes of workers he focused for sexual abuse.
‘The allegations contain cover-ups, threats and 1 / 4 of a century of sexual abuse by Mohamed Al-Fayed after he bought Harrods and have become its chairman.
Considered one of Mr Al-Fayed’s accusers, Natacha (proper), no surname given, who featured in ‘Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods’ is reassured by American Legal professional Gloria Allred after talking throughout a press convention
A few of Fayed’s assaults are mentioned to have been carried out at his Park Lane property in London
Harrods (pictured) was an alleged looking floor for Al-Fayed who focused ‘susceptible’ girls earlier than sexually assaulting them
‘Harrods is sometimes called probably the most stunning retailer on this planet… many ladies dreamed of working there, to be related to this prestigious company and to additional their careers.
‘Nonetheless, beneath the Harrods glitz and glamour was a poisonous, unsafe and abusive surroundings.’
And in a bombshell assertion, attorneys claimed that additional probes had been launched into potential crimes by the retail tycoon at different locations he was linked to.
Questioned on whether or not workers at different companies owned by Al-Fayed, similar to Fulham Soccer Membership, have been additionally allegedly topic to sexual abuse, barrister Maria Mulla mentioned: ‘Sure, we’re conscious of allegations which were made at different locations of labor.
‘We additionally characterize girls who have been employed by the Ritz.
‘We do not at this stage characterize any girls who, for example, sustained assaults at Fulham Soccer Membership.
‘However our investigations are clearly ongoing into all these entities that he had an involvement in.’
She mentioned investigations to date had revealed a ‘startling’ variety of girls from Harrods concerned within the alleged abuse by the Egyptian.
‘It is extremely unlikely that there are usually not victims on the market from these different locations of labor – wherever he went, there shall be victims,’ the lawyer informed reporters.
Barrister Dean Armstrong KC informed the press convention ‘that is and was a scientific failure of company duty’.
‘And that systematic failure is on the shoulders of Harrods,’ he mentioned.
He added that compensation from Harrods for girls who’ve claimed sexual abuse in opposition to Mohamed Al-Fayed could be ‘welcome’.
If Harrods really feel that they must compensate girls financially for what they’ve finished and the way they failed them, then in fact that’s one thing which we might welcome,’ he informed the convention.
‘However we aren’t going to take a seat right here and settle for any suggestion that we’re solely concerned about cash.
‘That is about a lot, a lot, rather more.’
Requested concerning the international scope of the case, barrister Bruce Drummond informed the information convention the ‘scope of this case is huge’ and listed nations have been Mohamed Al-Fayed’s accusers are from.
He mentioned among the girls are from Malaysia, Australia, Italy, Romania, the US and Canada.
