Mohamed Al-Fayed sexually harassed a 17-year-old employee and propositioned her for sex, it was claimed last night.
The accusations, made by three women against the billionaire former owner of Harrods, were revealed as part of an investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme.
Al-Fayed: Behind Closed Doors, to be aired tonight, will focus on ‘allegations of sexual harassment against billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed’, according to the broadcaster.
Claims: Cheska Hill-Wood has alleged that former Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed sexually harassed her when she was a 17-year-old and also propositioned her for sex
The programme said it had spoken to three alleged victims of Mr Al-Fayed, 88, who is said to have groomed them and made inappropriate advances while they were employees at the world-famous department store. He sold Harrods for £1.5 billion in 2010.
Two of Mr Al-Fayed’s alleged victims chose to remain anonymous, but Cheska Hill-Wood, 41, an art gallery manager, spoke out, The Daily Telegraph reported. It was alleged that Mr Al-Fayed asked the then teenage Miss Hill-Wood to change into a swimming costume and filmed her, before he tried to kiss her.
According to the programme, she began working at the department store in 1993.
She added that she was also invited to Mr Al-Fayed’s central London flat on one occasion and he told her he could help her to get work with his film producer son.
Miss Hill-Wood claimed that Mr Al-Fayed tried to coax her into sleeping with him by saying he could find her work as an actress.
Channel 4 said the allegations followed the scandal of public figures committing sexual harassment and said the accounts of the women interviewed in the programme bore similarities.
The documentary alleged that Mr Al-Fayed asked the teenage Miss Hill-Wood to change into a swimming costume and filmed her, before he tried to kiss her
A spokesman said: ‘The film features the testimony of three women who now feel able to speak out about experiencing sexually predatory and threatening behaviour while working for the business magnate and former owner of Harrods, Mohamed Fayed.
‘Despite not knowing one another, their accounts, from two different decades, reveal a number of striking similarities.’
Channel 4 added that the allegations were put to Mr Al-Fayed’s lawyer last week, but it had not received a response.
The tycoon did not respond to requests for comment last night.