LONDON — On September 26, British police urged anyone with allegations against former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed to come forward, stating they would consider prosecuting others after multiple women accused the late billionaire of sexual abuse and rape..

A BBC documentary that aired last week claimed that Al Fayed had sexually abused female employees at Harrods and threatened them if they attempted to report it. The program also alleged that the department store's management, during Al Fayed’s ownership from 1985 to 2010, failed to intervene and actively concealed the abuse.

Although Al Fayed passed away last year at 94, London's Metropolitan Police said they would investigate whether other individuals could be held criminally accountable.

Stephen Clayman, head of specialist crime at the Metropolitan Police, emphasized the importance of victims coming forward, assuring them that their allegations would be taken seriously and that specialist teams would offer the necessary support.

Lawyers representing women who have accused Al Fayed of rape and sexual assault reported receiving over 150 new inquiries from potential victims.

Harrods, now owned by the Qatar royal family's investment vehicle since its purchase in 2010, expressed its outrage in response to the allegations, stating it was "utterly appalled."

Allegations of sexual misconduct by Al Fayed had previously been reported by media outlets, including Vanity Fair in 1995, Britain's ITV in 1997, and Channel 4 in 2017, but many women only felt comfortable speaking out after his death.

In 2009, prosecutors chose not to charge Al Fayed for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at Harrods, citing a lack of sufficient evidence for conviction. Al Fayed consistently denied all allegations.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters file