The UK Home Office has confirmed that several women who say they were abused by late Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed are victims of human trafficking, according to multiple reports. Outlet accounts vary between four and at least five survivors, but they agree that conclusive decisions have been reached through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), the UK process used to assess potential trafficking victims.
One report describes survivors receiving “conclusive grounds” decisions, a classification that indicates the decision-makers believe trafficking occurred. Another account says the findings include different forms of trafficking, including allegations of recruitment into a false job role and selection of women for abuse while they were reportedly hired for legitimate positions. The reporting also includes claims that trafficking occurred both in connection with Al-Fayed’s Harrods activities and at his home.
The confirmations follow calls from a group of survivors for the Metropolitan Police to prioritize trafficking in investigations, with survivors arguing that associates may have facilitated or supported the abuse. The reports do not present new criminal findings against specific individuals, and the scope of any ongoing investigations is not detailed consistently across outlets.
