Lawyers say former Harrods boss Al Fayed was a 'monster' who abused young women and girls

LONDON (AP) — Lawyers representing dozens of women who say they were raped and sexually abused by Mohamed Al Fayed, the former boss of the famous London department store Harrods, said the case was akin to the crimes of sex offenders Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.

At a press briefing in London on Friday in the wake of the BBC documentary “Al-Fayed: Predator At Harrods,” the lawyers described the Egypt-born businessman who died last year at the age of 94 as a “monster" who abused young women and girls who worked at the department store during his 25-year ownership.

“This case combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein," said lead lawyer Dean Armstrong. “Savile because in this case, as in that, the institution, we say, knew about the behavior. Epstein because in that case, as in this, there was a procurement system in place to source the women and girls — as you know there are some very young victims. And Weinstein, because it was a person at the very top of the organization who was abusing his power."

One of Al Fayed’s alleged victims, who went by the name Natacha, told the press conference that the billionaire businessman was “highly manipulative" and "preyed on the most vulnerable, those of us who needed to pay the rent and some of us who didn’t have parents to protect them.”

In a statement given to the BBC documentary, the new owners of Harrods, who bought out Al Fayed in 2010, said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse but added that they were only made aware of them last year.

“While we cannot undo the past, we have been determined to do the right thing as an organization, driven by the values we hold today, while ensuring that such behaviour can never be repeated in the future," the owners said in a statement.

However, Armstrong queried Harrods' claim that it knew nothing as sexual allegations had been made against Al Fayed for decades.

“We are here to say publicly and to the world, or to Harrods in front of the world, that it is time that they took responsibility, and it is time that they set matters right, and that is something they should do as soon as possible,” he said.

U.S. lawyer Gloria Allred, who has represented victims in some of the most notorious sexual abuse cases in recent years, including Epstein, Weinstein and Bill Cosby, also spoke.

“Harrods is often referred to as the most beautiful store in the world … many women dreamed of working there, to be associated with this prestigious corporation and to further their careers," she said. "However, underneath the Harrods glitz and glamour was a toxic, unsafe and abusive environment.”

Members of the legal team, barrister Bruce Drummond, left, and Dean Armstrong KC, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods', hold a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

From left, American attorney Gloria Allred, Natacha (no surname given) and barrister Maria Mulla, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' hold a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Natacha (no surname given), left, and barrister Maria Mulla, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' hold a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

One of Mr Al Fayed's accusers, Natacha (no surname given), who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' speaks during a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

One of Mr Al Fayed's accusers, Natacha (no surname given), who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods', looks on during a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Members of the legal team, Dean Armstrong KC and American attorney Gloria Allred, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' hold a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

The legal team, from left, barrister Bruce Drummond, Dean Armstrong KC, attorney Gloria Allred, Natacha and barrister Maria Mulla, who featured in 'Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods' attend a press conference to discuss their involvement in the investigation and the legal claim against Harrods for failing to provide a safe system of work for their employees, at Kent House in Knightsbridge, London, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. Multiple ex-Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, the Egyptian billionaire who owned the luxury department store for more than 25 years, of rape and sexual assault. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

McLaren is ahead of Red Bull in the Formula 1 constructors' race. Now for Lando Norris to put pressure on Max Verstappen for the drivers' title.

Oscar Piastri's win last week at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix put McLaren top in the teams' standings — the key to F1's lavish prize money — but teammate Norris only took a small bite out of Verstappen's lead.

After starting 15th, Norris passed Verstappen late in the race to finish fourth, but the Dutch driver still leads by 59 points heading into the Singapore Grand Prix.

The talk in F1 this week has focused on McLaren's seemingly flexible rear wing, which might help at high speed. Piastri said Thursday it's legal and isn't a “magic bullet” for their recent success.

F1 looks wide open right now with Ferrari and Mercedes both fighting for wins. McLaren will still have to battle hard even if Red Bull isn't on the pace at a track where Verstappen has never won.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fastest in the first practice on Friday, but only by .076 seconds from Norris. Carlos Sainz Jr. was third-fastest in the other Ferrari, and Verstappen fourth.

Piastri is the on-form driver in recent races, but in only his second season, he's heading into a late-season swing of tracks like Singapore that he doesn't know well. The Australian confirmed Thursday he'll still help out Norris' title challenge where he can.

"There’s still going to be some tough races in the latter part of the year on tracks that I’ve only been to once," Piastri said. “I feel like I’m improving a lot as I go through my career, but I’m certainly not the finished product yet.”

Singapore was the only track where Red Bull didn't win last year. The team couldn't find a competitive setup and Verstappen was far off the pace all weekend as Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. took the victory.

Red Bull left Azerbaijan with some optimism that it's fixed at least some of the balance problems introduced by its attempts to upgrade the car this season. Verstappen — now without a win in seven races — wasn't happy with the car in Baku but emphasized it was a mistaken setup choice, not the underlying performance.

Singapore is slower than Baku and a trickier track for Red Bull, though.

“Our car generally is not very good on bumps and curbs and that’s of course what you have around here, so we need to try to stabilize that a bit,” Verstappen said Thursday in Singapore.

Street circuits tend to suit Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez, who was fast in Baku in search of a podium finish since April. Colliding with Sainz meant all those efforts were for nothing, though.

After Singapore, Red Bull and its second team RB are expected to choose whether to keep Daniel Ricciardo at RB or recall Liam Lawson instead. Ricciardo said “decisions will be made” before the next race in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 20.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem's plans to crack down on drivers swearing has sparked the latest dispute between drivers and the governing body.

The way Ben Sulayem expressed that — drawing an unflattering comparison with “rap music” — drew criticism from seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, F1's only Black driver. There was a “racial element” to Ben Sulayem's “stereotypical” language, he said.

While Hamilton said he thought there probably was too much swearing in F1, Verstappen argued TV should be more responsible about which radio excerpts get aired. “That will help a lot more than putting bans on drivers,” he said.

The heat and humidity of Singapore's street circuit make it one of the toughest races of the year for drivers. Even their water can get so hot it's hard to drink.

Mercedes driver George Russell said he started special training during the mid-season break a month ago, going for a run in three layers of clothes to simulate racing in fireproof overalls in the Singapore heat.

“We lose almost four kilograms (8 pounds, 13 ounces) of fluids in in an hour-and-a-half race, so it’s a pretty good weight loss program if that's what you're chasing," Russell said Thursday.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain steers his car during the first practice session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Singapore, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the first practice session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Singapore, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain steers his car during the first practice session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Singapore, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain arrives during the first practice session of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Singapore, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands is pushed on the grid before the Formula One Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain makes a pit stop during the Formula One Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (Ali Haideric/Pool via AP)