More than 400 alleged victims, including some from Australia, have so far contacted the legal team working on a case against late Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed, accused of sexual abuse and rape, says lawyer Dean Armstrong.

A BBC documentary in September revealed that Al Fayed, who died last year aged 94, sexually abused female staff at his London department store Harrods, forcing them to undergo medical tests and threatening consequences if they tried to complain.

“The magnitude of the abuses perpetrated by Al Fayed and facilitated by those around him, sadly, continues to grow,” Armstrong said at a news conference in London.

Al Fayed always denied similar allegations raised by other reports before his death.

When asked for a response, Harrods pointed Reuters to its previous statements about the allegations, in which it apologized, said it was “horrified” by them and that it had launched a process for any current or former Harrods employee who wishes to claim compensation. compensation. .