Survivor Accuses Salah Fayed of Trafficking and Sexual Abuse at Scottish Highland Estate

POLICY WIRE — Easter Ross, Scotland — A woman has shared a harrowing account with BBC Scotland, claiming she was trafficked to the Scottish Highlands, drugged, and subjected to sexual assault and imprisonment by Salah Fayed. Fayed is the brother of the late former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed.

Jill, using a pseudonym to protect her legal interests, explained that she was a young staff member at Harrods during the 1990s when she was recruited for what she understood to be an executive training program. She detailed being being transported via the Fayed family’s private aircraft to Balnagown, their property in Easter Ross, where she allegedly endured repeated assaults.

Jill is just one among hundreds of women who have voiced allegations of abuse involving the Fayed brothers. Following the death of Mohamed Al Fayed in 2023, hundreds of women and girls have come forward alleging sexual misconduct. His brother Salah, who passed away in 2010 from pancreatic cancer, also faced numerous accusations of abuse.

Police Scotland has confirmed that three individuals have been identified in connection with offenses committed against multiple victims at the Balnagown estate, and their inquiries remain active.

In her interview with BBC Scotland, Jill characterized Salah Fayed as a very cruel man who exploited her vulnerabilities and maintained near-total authority over her existence. She recalled starting her career at Harrods working for Mohamed Al Fayed in a strictly monitored office filled with young women, where movement was restricted and staff were discouraged from social interaction.

Shortly after, she was moved to work for Salah Fayed, which she initially hoped would be a better situation because she found Mohamed creepy. However, she described the situation deteriorating rapidly. Jill stated she was taken to Scotland on two occasions, both by private jet, where she was picked up at Inverness airport and driven to the estate.

At the Balnagown estate, which featured three residences, Jill described Salah’s home as smaller than his brother’s and highly isolating. She alleged that by that point, Salah began providing her with illegal substances. She claimed he forced her to take them, and when she refused, he would scream at her and lock her in a room.

Jill stated that Salah controlled everything she ate, what she wore, and whom she spoke to, asserting that most of what occurred against her will. She described him as a very cruel person who recognized and exploited her weaknesses.

The survivor noted that escaping was a difficult process and she only gradually grasped the full scale of the abuse after she left. She realized she was not the only victim and attempted to raise the alarm regarding the brothers who purchased the luxury department store in 1985.

Jill told BBC Scotland she is aware of other women who suffered abuse by Salah in Scotland, though some have not made public statements. She expressed support for calls for a statutory public inquiry and stated she spoke out because she feared the police investigations were not sufficiently thorough.

Jill has engaged the Metropolitan Police and is currently pursuing legal action. Harrods, which is no longer owned by the Fayed family, acknowledged the bravery of survivors and supported their search for justice. The retailer previously launched a redress scheme for those affected by Mohamed Al Fayed.

Jill remarked that any compensation would only be a partial refund for the damage to her life, noting that victims lose years, face medical costs, and suffer impacts on careers and families. She lamented that the person she was when sent to Fayed is gone, stating her life’s work has been a bitter, decades-long recovery.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)