Al Fayed survivors complain to watchdog about Met's handling of case
More than 400 allegations of sexual misconduct have been made against the former Harrods owner, who died in 2023 aged 94.
Survivors of alleged abuse by Mohamed Al Fayed have filed fresh complaints with the police watchdog over how the Metropolitan Police handled the case against the former Harrods owner.
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The Independent Office for Police Conduct says it has received complaints from three survivors this week, and will now assess them before deciding what happens next.
It comes as the watchdog is already investigating one serving and four former Met officers over possible misconduct linked to the handling of allegations against Al Fayed.
The Metropolitan Police is also investigating claims made by at least 155 victims, with Operation Cornpoppy looking at people who may have helped enable or facilitate the alleged abuse.
That operation has so far interviewed just four people under caution, despite being launched 19 months ago.
Read more: Met Police officers face misconduct probe over handling of Mohamed Al Fayed sexual abuse allegations
Al Fayed died in 2023 at the age of 94 without facing criminal charges.The allegations against him are extensive, with more than 400 claims of sexual misconduct now having been made, including rape and trafficking allegations spanning years.
Lawyers representing survivors say 421 people have now come forward about alleged abuse at Harrods and at other businesses owned by Al Fayed, including the Ritz hotel in Paris and Fulham FC.
The complaints focus on the Met’s handling of cases between 2018 and 2024, as survivors and their lawyers continue to argue that the force failed to act properly when allegations were brought to it.
The Met says it is assisting the IOPC and insists its current investigation into possible enablers of Al Fayed’s offending remains active.
The case has already prompted wider criticism of how police handled reports made years before Al Fayed’s death, with previous reporting showing that the force has faced scrutiny over whether it did enough to pursue the allegations.
Survivors are now pushing for a broader investigation, saying they want accountability not just for Al Fayed’s alleged abuse, but for the systems and people they believe allowed it to continue.