A 25-year-old American man, Tyrese Haspil, has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for the murder of his former boss, Fahim Saleh, the 33-year-old CEO and founder of Nigerian transportation company, Gokada. The sentencing follows Haspil’s conviction by a New York State Supreme Court jury two months ago.
According to People.com, Haspil, who had worked as Saleh’s executive assistant since 2018, had been embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from his employer. In an attempt to cover up the theft, Haspil murdered Saleh in his Lower Manhattan apartment in July 2020.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. confirmed Haspil’s sentence in a press release on Tuesday, stating, “Today, Tyrese Haspil is facing accountability for brutally murdering and decapitating Fahim Saleh, a kind, generous, and empathetic person who positively impacted the world.”
Bragg continued, “Even after the defendant stole from him to fund a lavish lifestyle, Mr. Saleh still gave him a second chance. While today’s sentence won’t bring Mr. Saleh back, I hope it provides his family a sense of closure as they continue to mourn his painful loss.”
Brutal Crime Unfolds
Surveillance footage showed Haspil entering Saleh’s apartment building on July 13, 2020, following him into an elevator that led directly into the CEO’s apartment. Prosecutors revealed that Haspil deployed a taser against Saleh’s back as he exited the elevator, before stabbing him multiple times in the neck and torso, killing him on the spot. The next day, Haspil returned to the apartment with a saw, dismembering and decapitating Saleh’s body, placing the remains in construction bags.
The horrifying discovery was made by Saleh’s cousin, who visited the apartment after not hearing from him for 24 hours. Upon finding the remains, she immediately notified the police. Haspil was later arrested four days after the murder at an Airbnb he had rented to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday.
Years of Embezzlement Uncovered
Haspil had been embezzling money from Saleh since 2018, creating fake PayPal accounts and financial statements to siphon funds from his boss. The total theft amounted to approximately $400,000. Prosecutors stated that Haspil had even plotted Saleh’s murder on three separate occasions before finally carrying it out in a bid to prevent Saleh from serving as a witness against him.
Saleh, known for his dedication to Nigeria’s youth and technology, founded Gokada in 2017 as a ride-hailing service before expanding into logistics and food delivery in 2020. In the wake of his tragic death, Gokada released a statement praising his passion for empowering Nigerian youths, stating, “He believed young Nigerians are extremely bright and talented individuals who would flourish if just given the right opportunity.”
