Mohammed Al-Fayed, the billionaire former owner of the Harrods department store in London, installed surveillance cameras throughout the store — including in women’s fitting rooms and staff bathrooms — and used the footage to target women for sexual abuse, according to a new book.
The book, The Monster of Harrods, is scheduled for release Thursday and includes testimony from about 60 former employees and witnesses. It alleges that Al-Fayed operated a decades-long campaign of sexual misconduct, using hidden cameras and recording devices to monitor female staff and customers between 1985 and 2010.
“People don’t talk about it, but there were cameras everywhere,” said a former bodyguard identified only as Biggie. “If you were in a Harrods fitting room during Al-Fayed’s time, he likely saw you.”
According to the book, at least 40 monitors were used to record nearly every part of the store 24 hours a day. The surveillance operation was allegedly overseen by John Macnamara, a former detective who served as Harrods’ head of security. The system was designed to help Al-Fayed identify women he later assaulted, the book claims.
“He watched the monitors like his life depended on it,” one passage reads. “Mohammed and his team watched women in the dressing rooms and bathrooms and laughed among themselves.”
Al-Fayed died in 2023 at age 94. He was never charged with any crimes, but since initial complaints surfaced, hundreds of women have come forward with allegations. The book claims the number of victims exceeds 500.
One of them, identified as Gemma, said she worked as Al-Fayed’s personal assistant between 2007 and 2009 and was raped by him at Villa Windsor in Paris — the former home of King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. She said she awoke to find Al-Fayed standing beside her bed in a silk robe.
“I said, ‘No, I don’t want you to do this,’” she recalled. “He kept going and eventually was on top of me. I couldn’t move. I was face-down and he just forced himself on me.” Gemma said that after the assault, Al-Fayed told her to clean herself with disinfectant.
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The current owners of Harrods, which Al-Fayed sold in 2010, said in a statement: “Our records show no indication that there were ever cameras installed in employee areas or in places where customer privacy would be violated.”
They added, “We are deeply shocked by the accusations of sexual abuse committed by Mohammed Al-Fayed. These were the actions of a man who intentionally abused his power wherever he operated, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms. We acknowledge that during this period, we failed our female staff who were his victims, and for that, we are profoundly sorry.”
Al-Fayed was also known as the father of Dodi Al-Fayed, who was romantically involved with Princess Diana. Both died in a car crash in Paris in 1997.