More than 400 people come forward regarding Mohamed Al Fayed’s sexual abuse allegations

Al Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, was accused of sexual assault by more than 20 women in a BBC documentary and podcast broadcast in September.

Since then, more women have come forward with allegations of assault, harassment and rape while they were his employees over more than three decades.

Harrods previously told the BBC it was in the process of resolving more than 250 compensation claims filed by Al Fayed victims. The luxury store has a compensation plan for former employees who say they were attacked by Al Fayed, separate from the lawsuit filed against him.

On Thursday, the Justice for Harrods Survivors group, which represents some of the former Harrods boss’ accusers, said the first letter of allegations had been sent to the store, describing it as “the start of the formal legal process”.

The group said most of the 421 allegations were linked to Harrods, but others related to incidents at Fulham FC and the Ritz Paris hotel, which Al Fayed also owned at the time of the alleged attacks.

Lawyers said the survivors came from Britain, America, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia.