Met mistakenly exposed details of 143 Fayed victims in group email
Breach is latest blunder after force earlier sent handwritten notes of survivor’s account to another woman in Australia
Poppy Wood
Published 15 August 2026 Daily Telegraph UK
The Metropolitan Police (UK) accidentally exposed the email addresses of 143 of Mohamed Fayed’s victims in a widely shared email, The Telegraph understands.
The police force copied victims into a group update about its investigation into the former Harrods owner on Tuesday.
The Telegraph understands it included 143 victims of Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94.
The Met Police would not confirm how many other people were on the email chain, although one source told The Telegraph there were around a dozen other recipients.
The UK’s largest police force said the accident was the result of “human error” and that it had referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) over the breach.
A Met Police spokesman told The Telegraph: “On Tuesday, August 11, officers issued a monthly update to victims regarding progress in our investigation into those who may have facilitated Mohamed Fayed’s offending.
“Due to human error, recipients’ email addresses were visible to others on the distribution list. The issue was identified quickly and immediate action was taken.
“We understand the impact this may have on victims and sincerely apologise. Everyone affected was contacted directly on the day of the incident.
“The incident is being investigated as a matter of priority, and we are reviewing our processes to help prevent a similar breach from happening again.”
The police force said the email was intended to update victims who had signed up to its email distribution list that three further suspects had been interviewed under caution as part of its investigation into Fayed.
They comprised one suspect in their 70s and two suspects in their 80s, bringing the total number interviewed under caution to seven.
It marks the latest blunder by the Met Police in recent months over its handling of the Harrods case.
Joanna Brittain, who has alleged she was trafficked to Fayed and raped by his associate, claimed in June that the Met Police mistakenly sent handwritten notes of her account to another woman in Australia.
The Met Police also referred itself to the ICO over that breach and is understood to have made a one-off payment to the woman.
More than 400 claims of sexual misconduct have been made against Fayed, including rape and human trafficking. The allegations span from 1977 to 2014.
Former Met officers investigated
Several women have complained to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in recent months over the Met Police’s handling of the case. The police watchdog is now assessing three victims’ complaints.
It is already investigating one serving and four former Met officers for potential misconduct relating to the case.
That investigation, led by the Met’s directorate of professional standards under the watchdog’s direction and control, involves other reports made by four victims.
Its investigation into Fayed, known as Operation Cornpoppy, was launched nearly two years ago, but until mid-June it had interviewed just four people.
The Home Office confirmed earlier in August that five of Fayed’s victims were trafficked and were considered to be victims of modern slavery.
One survivor said they were recruited into a false role at Harrods, while two were hired for a legitimate role and then selected for abuse off the shop floor. Another victim was employed as a domestic worker for a member of the Fayed family after being recruited via a letting agency.
