Europe | All 3 Fayed Brothers, Ex-Owners of Harrods, Are Now Accused of Sexual Assault
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Amy McIlquham at home in Sicily. Credit… Roselena Ramistella for The New York Times An abuse scandal that once appeared centered on the billionaire Mohamed al-Fayed has since widened to include Salah and Ali, with whom he owned Harrods, the iconic London department store.
Amy McIlquham at home in Sicily. Credit… Roselena Ramistella for The New York Times
Feb. 14, 2025 Updated 7:32 a.m. ET Amy McIlquham was 21 when she was asked to go to Gstaad, Switzerland, for a long weekend with her boss.
Ms. McIlquham had joined Harrods, the luxury department store in London, in 1993. A Canadian on a work-abroad program, she was promoted from the shop floor to become a personal assistant to Mohamed al-Fayed, who co-owned the business with his younger brothers, Salah and Ali.
In early 1994, she recalled, she boarded the company’s private jet and flew to Gstaad to work as an assistant to Ali.
Once she got there, however, there was no work to do, she said. She was alone in the chalet with Ali and a housekeeper. Then Ali, who was in his early 50s, took her to a swimming pool. She remembers the black swimsuit and fake pearl necklace she was wearing.
“I just remember him pulling me in, the groping and the pulling in from the waist and my bottom, just grabbing and groping and pulling,” said Ms. McIlquham, now 52, in an interview. She believes it was the weekend of April 30, 1994, because she remembers the Eurovision Song Contest was on TV.
“I was molested, sexually molested, without a doubt. And he was just giggling,” she said.
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A birthday card that Ms. McIlquham said Ali Fayed sent to her in 1994, referencing a phrase she used when answering the phone as a personal assistant. Credit… Roselena Ramistella for The New York Times Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
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