Survivors of abuse by the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have lodged complaints with a police watchdog over the Metropolitan Police’s handling of the allegations, they said.
More than 400 claims of sexual misconduct have been made against Al Fayed, including rape and human trafficking, spanning the period from 1977 to 2014.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed on Sunday that three victims had filed complaints that week about the Met’s handling of allegations between 2018 and 2024.
The police watchdog said it would assess the complaints before deciding on any further action.
The IOPC is already investigating one serving and four former Met officers for potential misconduct related to the case. The investigation, led by the Met’s directorate of professional standards under the watchdog’s direction, involves additional reports from four victims.
The Met is investigating allegations made by at least 155 victims, with a minimum of 21 understood to have come forward before Al Fayed’s death.
Operation Cornpoppy, launched 19 months ago, is examining possible suspects who may have facilitated or enabled Al Fayed’s crimes. As of last week it had interviewed only four people under caution. Al Fayed died in 2023 at the age of 94 without facing any charges.
A Met spokesperson said on Sunday: “We are assisting the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as it carries out an independent investigation into our handling of reports of sexual offending by Mohamed Al Fayed.
“As part of this, the IOPC is investigating complaints against five officers. One serving and four former officers are being investigated for potential misconduct. The serving of notices does not mean that misconduct proceedings will necessarily follow.
“We are aware that further complaints are now being assessed by the IOPC. We will support these as required. Our investigation into individuals who may have facilitated or enabled offending by Mohamed Al Fayed remains active.”
Victims of the former Harrods owner have called for a broader inquiry into trafficking, arguing that without it the “true scale” of the billionaire’s alleged network would remain hidden.
No One Above (NOA), a survivors’ collective founded by victims of Al Fayed’s abuse, has urged the National Crime Agency to establish a joint investigation team with the Met and oversee the inquiry.
Lawyers representing the Justice for Fayed and Harrods Survivors group said 421 people had come forward about abuse that allegedly took place at the luxury department store in central London, as well as at the Ritz hotel in Paris, Fulham FC, and other Al Fayed‑owned locations.
Earlier in June, Keir Starmer met around 200 survivors on an online video call as part of a wider push for justice and accountability.
A Downing Street spokesperson said at the time: “The prime minister met survivors of Mohamed Al Fayed, paid tribute to their courage, and made clear he stands with them in their fight for justice.