French police have made arrests and searched three properties, including the Ritz hotel in Paris, as part of an ongoing investigation into abuse allegations surrounding the late Mohamed Al Fayed. The Paris prosecutor’s office told BBC News that several individuals were taken into custody for questioning last month and later released.
Joint Operation and Property Searches
In a confidential letter sent to survivors, the Metropolitan Police stated that its officers were present during searches conducted on 13 and 14 October, marking what is understood to be a joint operation between British and French authorities. This represents the first time arrests have been made regarding alleged abuse and trafficking by the former owner of Harrods and the Ritz.
The Paris prosecutor’s office reported that several victims of Al Fayed were interviewed by French investigators. The searches formed part of a preliminary investigation into allegations of rape, aggravated pimping committed by an organized group, and human trafficking committed by an organized group. Authorities are currently analyzing digital material seized during these operations.
The properties searched included the Ritz Paris hotel—bought by the Egyptian billionaire in 1979 and still owned by the Al Fayed family—alongside the Villa Windsor in western Paris, a former home of King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson that served as an Al Fayed family holiday residence. Investigators also searched the Villa Sainte-Thérèse in Saint-Tropez, another former property of Al Fayed.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that its officers traveled to France in October to attend the operation. Al Fayed passed away in 2023 at the age of 94, following accusations by more than 20 women of sexual assault featured in a BBC documentary and podcast in September 2024. More than 400 alleged victims or witnesses have since come forward to legal representation.
Broader Investigations and Survivor Responses
Additional allegations have emerged involving Al Fayed’s brother, Salah Fayed, who died in 2010. A woman told BBC Scotland that Salah Fayed trafficked, drugged, sexually assaulted, and imprisoned her on the Balnagown Estate. Both brothers passed away without facing legal charges concerning these claims. Police Scotland stated earlier this year that inquiries into allegations connected to the Balnagown Estate are ongoing, with three people identified in connection with offenses against multiple victims.
The Justice for Fayed and Harrods Survivors group welcomed the cooperation between the Metropolitan Police and French authorities, describing the events as significant developments. The group urged that all properties owned by Al Fayed undergo thorough investigation regardless of their location to ensure no relevant evidence is missed, and expressed hope that the process helps hold accountable anyone who facilitated or concealed the offending.
Another survivor advocacy group, No One Above, criticized the pace of the British inquiry, arguing that France is treating the matter as organized human trafficking with proper evidence seizure, and called for the National Crime Agency to take over the investigation from the Met.
Management at the Ritz Paris told AFP news agency that the hotel maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward harassment, abuse, or inappropriate behavior, and stated that it remains ready to cooperate fully with competent judicial authorities.
