France searches Ritz and two other sites in Al Fayed inquiry

French authorities searched the Ritz Hotel and Villa Windsor in Paris and the Villa Sainte-Therese in Saint-Tropez, with British investigators present, the Paris public prosecutor's office said on November 10, 2026. The searches form part of an investigation opened after complaints alleging sexual misconduct by the late Mohamed Al Fayed.

The prosecutor's office said several people were temporarily placed in police custody following questioning, and that investigators seized digital material during the searches. Investigators also questioned several victims, it said, adding that the investigation is ongoing and is being conducted in coordination between French and British authorities.

Al Fayed, an Egyptian billionaire who owned the Ritz in Paris and Harrods department store in London before his death in 2023, has been accused of sexual abuse by women who had been employed as his personal assistants, the office said. Several media organisations had reported allegations of sexual misconduct against him in the past, though some women said they did not feel comfortable coming forward until after his death.

Harrods, which Al Fayed sold in 2010 to an investment vehicle of the Qatar royal family, apologised in 2024 after more than 20 women told the BBC that the billionaire had sexually abused them, with some alleging rape. The Ritz condemned the alleged behaviour. In 2009, prosecutors decided not to charge Al Fayed over a claim that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old in his store, saying there was no realistic prospect for his conviction.