DO WE TAKE HIS MONEY?

Charities face dilemma over AI Fayed cash after sex abuse claims top 150

- SIMON MURPHY

CHARITIES who took huge donations from Mohamed AI Fayed's foundation after he was accused of sex abuse are debating whether to refuse more cash.

Cancer Research UK is one of the good causes to receive hundreds of thousands of pounds between them since assault claims against the Harrods chief first aired.

But the BBC's damning exposé on Thursday has forced a rethink as the number of approaches from alleged victims and witnesses to lawyers yesterday topped 150.

Five women have accused the late tycoon of rape and he has been called a monster akin to vile predators Harvey Weinstein, Jimmy Savile and Jeffrey Epstein.

Cancer Research UK - the country's biggest cancer charity, whose patron is King Charles - has been given more than £45,000 by the mogul's fund the AI Fayed Charitable Foundation (ACF) since 2017.

It was paid £5,000 in 2022, £14,000 in 2019 and £11,500 in 2018, plus £15,000 in 2017 - the year a BBC Dispatches programme first made allegations of groping, assault and harassment, and claimed AI Fayed groomed a 17-year-old employee.