French authorities have opened an investigation into sex trafficking linked to Mohamed Al Fayed, the late businessman accused of years of sexual exploitation. The allegations reveal a pattern of abuse that spanned countries and decades. Survivors describe a system that controlled and exploited women across borders, fueled by power and wealth.
A new investigation into long-ignored abuse
The Paris prosecutor’s office opened an inquiry after receiving evidence of possible aggravated human trafficking involving multiple victims, according to correspondence seen by the BBC.
One survivor, American Pelham Spong, played a key role in pushing French authorities to act. In 2008, she applied for a job as a personal assistant with the Al Fayed family in Monaco. Instead of a normal hiring process, she says she was repeatedly flown from Al Fayed’s Ritz Paris to London—as he allegedly did with other young female staff.
Spong says she was subjected to an invasive gynecological exam and sexually assaulted in Al Fayed’s office. “He told me the job entailed sleeping with him,” she said. She refused. Years later, after learning more about other women’s experiences, she realized her story fit into a wider system. She said:
I didn’t realize I was a victim of sex trafficking until this past year… I saw the scale and scope of the abuse and realized that it was a pattern and a system and a machine.
Spong, now living in the US, returned to Paris a few months ago to report her experience to police. She hopes her actions encourage more survivors to come forward. Her lawyer believes she has a strong case.
A system that silenced victims for years
Al Fayed’s abuse is also under investigation in the UK, where more than 140 people have reported him to the Met police. The case first gained public attention after the 2024 BBC documentary and podcast Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods. The documentary featured more than twenty women describing assault and rape. Since then, dozens more survivors have come forward.
Despite these allegations, authorities never charged Al Fayed. When Spong spoke to British police in 2017, officers told her he was too ill to face questioning. Earlier this year, the Metropolitan Police apologized to survivors, saying it was “truly sorry” that Al Fayed will never be held accountable.
The Met is now reviewing its past failures, including whether people who enabled his behavior could face charges. Harrods, which Al Fayed once owned, has set aside more than £60 million to compensate survivors of the abuse.
Standing with survivors
Al Fayed was already a globally recognized figure—not only as the former owner of Harrods and the Ritz, but also through his son Dodi’s relationship with Princess Diana. His high profile helped shield his reputation for years, even as allegations accumulated across multiple countries.
This new investigation marks a long-overdue shift. One we hope will expose the full extent of the system that protected a powerful man and silenced those he harmed. Spong says “It’s critical to call it what it is, trafficking,” if there is any hope of preventing it from happening again.
Freedom United stands with survivors and hopes they receive the justice they deserve. We remain committed to challenging and disrupting the systems that enable exploitation and trafficking. Learn more about trafficking for sexual exploitation, and our work addressing it.
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