Five women say they were raped by former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed when they worked at the London department store, while more than 20 claim they were sexually assaulted by the late billionaire, the BBC reported.

Al Fayed, a native of Egypt who died last year at the age of 94, took over the luxury department store in 1985 and kept it until 2010. During that span, he preyed on female employees he found attractive, promoting them from sales floors to work in his offices, the BBC reported, citing former staff.

The assaults would take place in Harrods’ offices, in Fayed’s London apartment, or on foreign trips — often in Paris at the Ritz hotel, which he also owned, or his nearby Villa Windsor property, the BBC said.

Al Fayed’s victims and former employees described a pervasive climate of fear at Harrods, and said his predations were known among the staff. Rather than intervene, Harrods helped cover up abuse allegations, according to the BBC.

Harrods, now owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, is “utterly appalled by the allegations” against Al Fayed, it said in a statement. “We also acknowledge that during this time as a business we failed our employees who were his victims and for this we sincerely apologise.”

Harrods said it has been settling historic claims of abuse by Al Fayed in the quickest way possible, “while ensuring that such behaviour can never be repeated in the future.” Unlike during Al Fayed’s era, women are not being asked to sign non-disclosure agreements by current ownership.

Al Fayed is perhaps best known outside Britain because of his son, Dodi, who died in a car crash with Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997.

By Frank Connelly and Jennifer Creery

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