Police in the United Kingdom have launched a new investigation into whether people linked to the late Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed helped enable his alleged rape and other sexual abuse of female staff at his London department store Harrods and elsewhere.
A BBC documentary reported in September that Mr Al Fayed, who died last year aged 94, had sexually abused female staff, forced them to have medical screenings and threatened consequences if they tried to complain.
Mr Al Fayed always denied similar accusations before his death.
London's Metropolitan Police Service said the new investigation came after British authorities were "contacted by numerous victims, some reporting multiple offences, bringing the total known new victims to 90".
"As a result of their assessment so far, specialist crime detectives have launched an investigation into a number of individuals associated with Al Fayed," a police statement said.
"Officers are working to establish what roles those individuals may have played in assisting and facilitating Al Fayed's offending."
The exact number of individuals authorities are investigating remains unknown.
The Metropolitan Police also said that detectives are in the process of reviewing past investigations spanning 20 years and have re-examined more than 50,000 pages of evidence "including victim and impact statements".
Commander Stephen Clayman from the service's Specialist Crime Command said: "This investigation is about giving survivors a voice, despite the fact that Mohamed Al Fayed is no longer alive to face prosecution.
"We are now pursuing any individuals suspected to have been complicit in his offending, and we are committed to seeking justice.
"We are aware that past events may have impacted the public's trust and confidence in our approach, and we are determined to rebuild that trust by addressing these allegations with integrity and thoroughness.
"We encourage anyone who has information or was affected by Al Fayed's actions to reach out to us. Your voice matters, and we are here to listen and to help."
Lawyers representing victims have said the alleged abuse took place not just at Harrods but also in other locations linked to Al Fayed's business empire, such as Fulham Football Club, the Ritz Paris hotel and his estate in Surrey, and that more than 400 people had come forward.
The BBC documentary said Harrods failed to intervene and helped cover up abuse allegations during his ownership.
Harrods has apologised and said it is "appalled" by the allegations.
It has launched a process for any current or former Harrods employees who wished to claim compensation, although the plan has been criticised by victims' lawyers.
Australian women allege Al fayed assaulted them
The new police investigation comes after a lawyer for six Australian women told the ABC they were sexually assaulted by Al Fayed, and that five of them were employed at Harrods between 1985 and 2010.
"It was the most wonderful thing they had, quite understandably, working for this amazing store, working for this very powerful individual who was a billionaire … then a lot of them, after they had been subjected to this horrific ordeal, fled [back to Australia]," Bruce Drummond told the ABC earlier this month.
Mr Al Fayed was a household name in the UK thanks to his wealth, eccentricity and connection to Princess Diana.
His son Dodi was romantically involved with the Princess, but both were killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.
ABC/Reuters
