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Harrods: The red flags missed when Qatar bought store from Al Fayed

BBC
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75% Informative

Qatar bought Harrods in 2010 for 1.5bn , via its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority .

The department store now faces serious sexual abuse allegations over the actions of its former boss, Mohamed Al Fayed .

Legal experts say Qatar either missed or dismissed much of what was already known about the purchase at the time of the purchase.

Lawyer says Harrods has accepted vicarious liability for some of the claims, a legal term meaning it accepts ultimate responsibility for Al Fayed's alleged actions.

But the real damage is expected to be reputational, says Ms Albert .

She predicts boycotts and says business may struggle to recover unless customers see action, rather than just words.