Tech CEO's ex-assistant get murder conviction after 2020 decapitation in Manhattan apartment.
Prosecutors asserted that Tyrese Haspil, aged 25, was responsible for the murder of Fahim Saleh, who was 33. The motive behind this brutal act was to prevent Saleh from discovering that Haspil had embezzled approximately $400,000 from him, being a venture capitalist and CEO of Gokada, a motorcycle ride-hailing company based in Nigeria.
On Monday, a jury found Haspil guilty of a first-degree murder charge, along with two counts of second-degree grand larceny, one count of second-degree burglary, and other related offenses, as stated by the District Attorney’s office.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg commented, "Tyrese Haspil ended Mr. Saleh's life in a heinous manner - a man who belonged to a tight-knit immigrant family and pursued his dreams to become a successful entrepreneur." Brag added, "I hope that the consequences of today's verdict offer some solace to Mr. Saleh’s loved ones as they grieve his tragic death."
CNN reached out to Haspil's attorney, Sam Roberts, from The Legal Aid Society, which provides legal services to New Yorkers who cannot afford legal representation, for comment.
The sentencing for Haspil is expected to take place in September, as per the statement.
Haspil joined Saleh's team as his assistant in May 2018, where he was entrusted with various responsibilities, including handling Saleh's finances, which allowed him access to Saleh's financial records, according to the District Attorney’s office statement.
In the fall of 2018, Haspil initiated two schemes to steal from Saleh's companies, the statement said. He created several financial accounts, including a PayPal account, to divert funds and generate fraudulent statements that would evade detection by Saleh.
Haspil resigned in May 2019, but continued his thieving ways, according to the statement. In January 2020, after one of the frauds was discovered and traced back to Haspil, Saleh confronted him regarding the stolen sum of $35,000, proposing a settlement for its repayment.
Haspil agreed to pay back Saleh over an agreed-upon period but used the funds from the PayPal scheme to do so, causing him to embezzle nearly $400,000 in total, as per the statement.
Fearing Saleh would discover his continued embezzlement, Haspil then planned Saleh's murder, believing that killing his former boss would prevent Saleh from testifying against him, the statement further added.
On July 13, 2020, Haspil sneaked into Saleh's condo in the Lower East Side, shocked him with a taser, and stabbed him multiple times, according to the statement. The following day, Haspil returned to the apartment to dismember the body and clean up the crime scene, but left when Saleh's cousin arrived to check on him, discovering the gruesome sight of Saleh's dismembered body. Haspil didn't return to the apartment after seeing police outside.
Police arrested Haspil in Manhattan on July 17.
Saleh was remarkable for his support of young tech enthusiasts. He was born in Saudi Arabia to Bangladeshi parents and grew up in upstate New York. Saleh obtained a computer science degree from Bentley University in Massachusetts.
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After the conviction, the guilty party, Haspil, will likely express his remorse towards the US justice system and his victim's family, as he preparations for his sentencing in September. Recognizing the impact of his actions on the US tech community, especially Fahim Saleh's supporters, Haspil may acknowledge the importance of such individuals and their role in driving innovation.
