A former Harrods employee has come forward with allegations that Salah Fayed, brother of the department store’s former owner, trafficked her to a Scottish estate in the 1990s, where she claims he drugged and sexually abused her, BBC Scotland reported.
The woman, named Jill, described a harrowing ordeal at the Balnagown Estate in the Scottish Highlands, where she was allegedly isolated and assaulted by the late Salah Fayed. Her testimony adds to a growing number of accusations against members of the Fayed family, including Salah’s brother, Mohamed Al Fayed, who died in 2023.
Highland Estate at the Center of New Abuse Allegations
Jill, whose identity has been shielded for legal reasons, said she was a young employee when she was recruited for what she believed was an executive training scheme. She was flown to the Fayed family’s Balnagown Estate in Easter Ross, where she claims Salah Fayed subjected her to repeated abuse. The BBC reported that she described her situation as being held “prisoner” and controlled in every aspect of her life.
“The first time he forced me to take the drugs he tried to trick me into taking them,” Jill told BBC Scotland. “He had me locked in a room. He said ‘you need to take this, it’s good for you’. He lied about what it was and when I refused he screamed at me and forced me to take it.”
She described Salah Fayed as “a very cruel man” who exploited her vulnerabilities. “He knew I had some vulnerabilities and he exploited them. He made me feel I was a terrible person,” she said. The estate, which the Fayed brothers acquired in 1985, has become a focal point of police inquiries into alleged abuse.
Police Scotland Investigates Trafficking Allegations at Balnagown Estate
- Former Harrods employee alleges trafficking and abuse at Balnagown Estate in the 1990s.
- Police Scotland investigating allegations against the Fayed family at the Scottish estate.
- The case is part of a broader pattern of abuse claims against the Fayed brothers.
Police Investigations and the Scale of Allegations
Police Scotland confirmed that three people have been identified in connection with offending against a number of victims at Balnagown, with inquiries ongoing. The Metropolitan Police is separately conducting a major investigation into allegations linked to Mohamed Al Fayed, which it described as one of its largest and most complex.
“Seven suspects have so far been interviewed under caution on suspicion of offences including aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting the commission of sexual offences, and human trafficking for sexual exploitation,” the Met Police stated. As of this year, 168 victims have come forward to the Met, with about 70 referred to the Home Office as potential trafficking victims.
Since Mohamed Al Fayed’s death in 2023, more than 400 alleged victims or witnesses have come forward to lawyers. This follows a 2024 BBC documentary, Predator at Harrods, which detailed accusations against Mohamed.
| Entity | Status | Key Allegations |
|---|---|---|
| Salah Fayed | Died 2010 | Trafficking, drugging, sexual assault at Balnagown |
| Mohamed Al Fayed | Died 2023 | Sexual assault of over 20 women at Harrods |
| Harrods | No longer owned by the Fayed family | Established redress scheme for survivors |
A Culture of Control and the Entertainment Industry’s Echoes
The Fayed family’s rise to prominence, marked by their 1985 acquisition of Harrods, created a powerful and insular empire.
Harrods, now under new ownership, has recognized the “remarkable bravery” of survivors and supports their pursuit of justice. The retailer has established a redress scheme, though Jill emphasized that compensation alone cannot undo the damage. “The girl I was when I was sent to that man is gone,” she said. “My life’s work has been recovering from this. It has been a bitter, bitter, decades-long struggle.”
The Push for a Public Inquiry and Unanswered Questions
Jill has joined calls for a statutory public inquiry, expressing concern that police investigations are not looking far enough. She contacted the Metropolitan Police herself and is pursuing legal action. “I tried to raise the alarm, I tried to warn people,” she stated, highlighting her belief that she could not have been the only victim.
The BBC reached out to the Balnagown Estate for comment but received no reply.
