Assistant who stole from tech CEO boss, killed and decapitated him is sentenced

NEW YORK (TCN) -- A 25-year-old man will spend 40 years to life in state prison for killing his former 33-year-old tech CEO boss after stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from him.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced the sentencing of Tyrese Haspil on Sept. 10. A jury convicted him in June of the first-degree murder of Fahim Saleh, as well as two counts of second-degree grand larceny, second-degree burglary, tampering with physical evidence, and concealment of a human corpse. He’ll also have to pay full restitution.

Haspil began working as Saleh’s entrepreneurial assistant in May 2018. As part of his job, Haspil reportedly ran personal errands and performed financial tasks, gaining access to Saleh’s financial records. Prosecutors said Haspil began stealing from Saleh’s companies by fall 2018.

According to the district attorney’s office, in September 2018, Haspil created a PayPal account pretending to be his boss’ business and began "funneling the funds into that account while creating fake statements." Several months later, Haspil launched another scheme by creating a corporate entity and bank account. He reportedly continued to steal money and copy other transactions to conceal his crimes through May 2019. That same month, Haspil left his position aware that Saleh would find out about the embezzlement. Prosecutors said he continued to steal money anyway and increased the amounts.

Saleh reportedly discovered one of the frauds in January 2020 and confronted Haspil for stealing around $35,000 from his company. According to the district attorney’s office, Saleh agreed to allow Haspil to settle the debt with a repayment plan instead of pursuing criminal prosecution. Haspil reportedly used stolen money from the PayPal scheme to pay back Saleh. Prosecutors said Haspil continued the PayPal embezzlement, "escalating to approximately $400,000."

Haspil reportedly planned to kill his former boss because he feared Saleh would learn about the PayPal embezzlement. The district attorney’s office said Haspil "spent weeks researching technology, weapons, Tasers, and cleaning supplies to conceal the homicide," and he "purchased clothes to hide his identity so Mr. Saleh would not recognize him."

On the morning of July 13, 2020, prosecutors said Haspil followed an individual into Saleh’s lobby and waited in a stairwell with a knife and Taser while wearing a custom black suit with an opaque mask. Saleh allegedly returned after a run, and Haspil followed him into the elevator and then his apartment. When Saleh exited the elevator, Haspil shocked him with a Taser and he fell to the ground before the defendant fatally stabbed his former boss multiple times in the neck and torso.

According to prosecutors, following Saleh’s death, Haspil cleaned the scene and took an Uber to Jersey City to throw evidence in a garbage can. The district attorney’s office said Haspil returned to his former boss’ apartment the following day and used a saw to dismember and decapitate the body. The saw’s battery reportedly ran out, so Haspil left to get a charger at Home Depot. Haspil also allegedly placed the remains in construction bags.

While Haspil was out, Saleh’s cousin reportedly went to check on him, found the victim’s dismembered and decapitated remains, and called law enforcement.

According to the district attorney’s office, Haspil came back from Home Depot but saw police and fled the area. Authorities arrested Haspil on July 17, 2020, at an Airbnb he booked to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday.

Prosecutors said Haspil continued the PayPal scheme until his arrest.

Saleh served as the CEO of Gokada and as a founding partner at Adventure Capital, according to his Facebook account.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said, "Today, Tyrese Haspil is facing accountability for brutally murdering and decapitating Fahim Saleh, a kind, generous, and empathetic person who positively impacted the world. Even after the defendant stole from him to fund a lavish lifestyle, Mr. Saleh still gave him a second chance."

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