Arrests made in French probe into Mohamed Al Fayed abuse allegations

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 10 Nov, 18:02 · Archive

French police have arrested individuals in an investigation into allegations of human trafficking and abuse linked to late billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed.

French police have advanced an investigation into allegations of human trafficking and abuse linked to Mohamed Al Fayed, the late Egyptian billionaire who died aged 94 in 2023. Authorities searched three luxury properties in October: the Ritz hotel in Paris, the Villa Windsor, a former royal residence in western Paris, and Castel Sainte-Thérèse, an exclusive villa on the French Riviera. Several individuals were taken into custody for questioning and later released. The Paris prosecutor's office said the searches were part of a preliminary investigation into allegations of human trafficking, aggravated pimping and rape committed by an organised group.

A joint operation between British and French authorities, the searches involved the seizure of computers, phones and other digital material being analysed as evidence. Several victims were interviewed by French investigators during the operation. The investigation was launched in 2025 to track down accomplices of Al Fayed and his late brother, Salah. Al Fayed faced no charges before his death in 2023 despite multiple complaints from victims in the United Kingdom at properties including Harrods, where he was the former owner, as well as Fulham Football Club and a fleet of private jets.

How it is being reported

• Ritz hotel raided by French police in Mohamed Al-Fayed trafficking probeBritish investigators were present when raids were carried out at three properties, the prosecutors’ office saidThe Independent · 10 Nov, 20:28
• French police raid Ritz hotel in Mohamed Al Fayed sexual abuse investigationArrests made after three properties were searched in relation to inquiry into late businessman French police have made arrests after raiding three properties, including the Ritz hotel in Paris , in relation to an investigation into sexual abuse and trafficking by Mohamed Al Fayed. Several individuals were taken into custody for questioning last month and later released, according to the Paris public prosecutor’s office. Another property in Paris and one in Saint-Tropez, both with links to Fayed, were also searched in mid-October. Continue reading...The Guardian · 10 Nov, 20:00
• French police search Ritz, glitzy Al Fayed properties in women-trafficking probeFrench police have searched several properties, including the Ritz hotel in Paris, in relation to an investigation into a suspected international network trafficking women for Mohamed Al Fayed, prosecutors told AFP on Tuesday. The Ritz is just one of the late tycoon's high-end ventures where victims have said they faced abuse.France 24 · 10 Nov, 17:37
• Arrests made in Mohamed Al Fayed probe in France, police sayThe Ritz hotel in Paris, which is still owned by the Al Fayed family, is one of the properties searched by police.BBC News · 10 Nov, 14:29

In this story: Mohamed Al Fayed · Salah Al Fayed · Ritz Paris · Harrods · Villa Windsor · Paris · Saint-Tropez

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