Alleged victim of Mohamed al Fayed says he had an 'obsession with abusing women sexually'

Another alleged victim of Mohamed al Fayed has spoken out, on the day police said they had recorded another 40 allegations against the late billionaire.

The former Harrods and Fulham FC owner died last year aged 94.

Allegations against him emerged following a BBC investigation and documentary about his behaviour, in which several women accused him of abuse.

On Friday, the Met Police said it had recorded 40 new allegations against al Fayed, including claims of rape and sexual assault.

Kristina Svensson spoke to Sky News alleging she also suffered abuse by al Fayed.

She claimed he had an "obsession with abusing women sexually" and that she thinks the businessman's abuse went far beyond just Harrods and London and stretched "between countries".

Ms Svensson said she was abused by al Fayed when she worked in the Ritz in Paris for two years, and as his executive assistant from 1998.

She accused him of trafficking vulnerable women around the world, and detailed instances of abuse she said she had suffered.

'Women were being moved between countries'

Ms Svensson claimed that women were being trafficked around the world, drugged, and were unwilling participants of al Fayed's.

She said that he decided to "traffic women... it's as simple as that."

She added: "You can put enough fluff around it and whatever you want.

"But he was hiring vulnerable women and using coercive control himself and his entourage to traffic these women. Period. That's it. There's nothing else to be said."

'He would put his hand up my skirt'

Ms Svensson alleged one instance of abuse where al Fayed groped her and "walked away like giggling or laughing" afterwards.

"I didn't really want to go close to him because I was afraid he would do it again," she added.

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Due to the abuse she "devised a tactic" to carry something, like a book or pad, to protect her chest, she said.

Ms Svensson also said that al Fayed, during her time at the Ritz in Paris, asked her to come to London where he said she would be his "girlfriend".

She went on to describe how al Fayed "would ask me to sit down in certain chairs with very high arms" and sexually assault her.

"And then, you know, he would put his hand up my skirt as I was trying to get out of the chair and the whole time I'm thinking I'm a professional. I'm a professional. He's going to realise this and this is going to stop. It's going to end at some point," she said.

Harrods says it is working to settle claims of historic sexual abuse.

It apologised to victims who it says were "failed."

In a statement, the Ritz Paris said: "We are deeply troubled by the recent testimonies regarding the late Mohammed al Fayed.

"The Ritz Paris does not tolerate any form of violence or sexual coercion and would like to express its deepest sympathy to the women who have come forward.

"The hotel upholds the highest standards of professionalism and has a steadfast commitment to fostering an environment where employees and guests are treated with respect and integrity.

"The safety and well-being of our employees and guests is our absolute priority.

"We are determined to shed light on these allegations, in line with our commitment to transparency towards our guests and employees."

Metropolitan Police commander Stephen Clayman said the force had "received numerous pieces of information, predominantly relating to the activities of al Fayed but some relating to the actions of others" since the airing of the BBC documentary.

"This has led to us record 40 new allegations, relating to 40 victim-survivors and covering offences including sexual assault and rape across a period between 1979 and 2013," he said.

"These are in addition to allegations we were aware of prior to the broadcast.

"While the majority of information we have received relates to al Fayed's ownership of Harrods, we are contacting representatives of other organisations linked to al Fayed to ensure anyone affected is identified and has the opportunity to speak with us."

He urged anyone with information to come forward to the force.

"All these reports will need to be formally logged and assessed to see if there are any allegations of criminality that can be pursued. This will take time, but we will ensure those who contact us are kept updated with progress," he added.

(c) Sky News 2024: Alleged victim of Mohamed al Fayed says he had an 'obsession with abusing women sexually'