The Metropolitan Police have issued an apology following an accidental disclosure of contact information belonging to more than 140 individuals who came forward as victims of Mohamed Al Fayed. The exposure occurred when the force distributed a routine update to recipients on its email distribution list regarding the ongoing investigation into potential facilitators of Fayed’s alleged crimes. The police acknowledged the sensitivity of the situation and expressed regret for any consequences resulting from the breach.
According to statements provided to media outlets, the incident took place on August 11 and was quickly identified by officers who took immediate corrective steps. The update in question notified victims that three additional suspects—individuals in their 70s and 80s—had been interviewed under caution as part of the inquiry. Overall, seven people have been questioned under caution during the investigation, which was launched approximately 21 months prior. The force has self-referred the matter to the Information Commissioner and committed to reviewing its procedures to mitigate the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future.
The disclosure compounds ongoing scrutiny of the Metropolitan Police’s handling of allegations connected to Fayed, the deceased Egyptian businessman who owned Harrods. More than 400 allegations of sexual misconduct spanning from 1977 to 2014 have been filed against him, encompassing claims of rape, sexual assault, human trafficking, false imprisonment, and other serious offenses. Fayed died in 2023 at age 94 without facing criminal charges.
Victim advocacy groups have raised concerns about the police investigation’s scope and effectiveness. Three survivors filed complaints with the Independent Office for Police Conduct in June regarding the force’s handling of allegations between 2018 and 2024. Additionally, in that same month, handwritten accounts from one survivor were inadvertently sent to another victim in Australia. The IOPC separately launched an investigation in May into a serving officer and four former officers concerning their management of allegations against Fayed.
The Metropolitan Police is examining complaints from at least 155 victims, including approximately 21 individuals who reported abuse prior to Fayed’s death. Advocates and survivor organizations have called for the National Crime Agency to establish a joint investigation team with the Met, arguing that a broader inquiry into trafficking networks is necessary to determine the complete scale of alleged facilitators involved in the businessman’s misconduct.
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