Man Convicted of Stealing from His Tech CEO Boss, Then Killing and Decapitating Him So He Wouldn’t Get Caught

The former executive assistant to a tech CEO was convicted of killing and decapitating his boss after stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from him, authorities said.

On Monday, June 24, a New York State Supreme Court jury convicted Tyrese Haspil, 25, of first-degree murder and second-degree grand larceny among other charges in connection with the 2020 death of 35-year-old Fahim Saleh, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. announced in a press release. 

He is expected to be sentenced on Sept. 10.

According to the D.A.’s office, Haspil, who started working as Saleh’s executive assistant in May 2018 and managed his finances and personal matters, embezzled about $400,000 from Saleh, which he spent on lavish gifts for his girlfriend. In an attempt to hide the theft and prevent Saleh from potentially testifying against him in court, Haspil plotted to kill Saleh and carried out the murder in July 2020, the release states.

Prosecutors said Haspil began stealing Saleh’s money, which he had access to as his assistant, through two separate schemes. According to the release, Haspil set up a Paypal account and a corporate bank account to funnel Saleh's money by creating bogus statements and using a name that resembled other financial transactions so Saleh would not become aware of the theft.

“Haspil resigned in May 2019, knowing Mr. Saleh would learn about the embezzlement, yet continued to steal money increasing the amounts,” the release states. Prosecutors said Haspil paid Saleh back with stolen money through the PayPal scheme, but the theft continued, escalating to about $400,000. 

In the days leading up to the murder, Haspil planned a birthday celebration for his girlfriend, buying her luxury handbags and shoes, a private yacht tour, and renting a luxury Airbnb in the Soho neighborhood, according to the release.

On the morning of July 13, 2020, prosecutors said Haspil followed someone into Saleh’s building lobby and waited there inside a stairwell. Haspil was armed with a knife and taser and wore a black custom suit with an opaque mask to disguise himself, according to the release.

When Saleh returned from a run, Haspil followed him into the elevator, which opened directly into Saleh’s apartment, the release states. As Saleh got out of the elevator, Haspil tased him in the back and then stabbed him multiple times in the neck and torso, killing him, prosecutors said.

The next day, Hapsil returned to the apartment “to dismember the body and clean up the crime scene,” according to the release. “He then dismembered and decapitated Mr. Saleh’s body using the saw and placed the body parts in pre-ordered construction bags.”

Saleh’s dismembered remains were discovered by his cousin, who came to check on him since she had not heard from him in 24 hours, prosecutors said. She subsequently called the police.

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For his part, Haspil, who left to go buy a saw battery charger, did not return to the apartment after noticing a police presence at the building, the release states. He was arrested on July 17, 2020, at the Airbnb he had booked to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday.

Prosecutors said Haspil’s web history in the days after the murder showed searches for “dismembered body,” “Fahim Saleh,” and articles on “murder of Tech CEO in New York.” They also said that Haspil had plotted to kill Saleh on at least three occasions.

Saleh was the founder and CEO of Gokada, a transportation company headquartered in Nigeria. The company released a statement in the wake of his death, calling his passion for Nigeria and its young people “immeasurable,” PEOPLE previously reported. 

“Tyrese Haspil tragically cut Mr. Saleh’s life short – a man who came from a close-knit immigrant family and followed his passions to become a successful entrepreneur,” Bragg said in the release. 

“I hope the accountability delivered by today’s verdict can provide a measure of comfort to Mr. Saleh’s loved ones as they continue to mourn his loss. I thank our prosecutors for their diligent and thorough work in this case that led to this conviction.”