New York Man Found Guilty of Murdering, Dismembering Boss After Stealing Thousands of Dollars From Business
A former assistant of a tech CEO has been convicted of brutally killing his boss after stealing thousands of dollars from him, authorities said.
Fahim Saleh, a tech entrepreneur, was found dead inside his apartment in New York on July 13, 2020. Tyrese Haspil, his former assistant, was soon arrested as a person of interest in the homicide, the Manhattan District Attorney stated.
Recently, Haspil was found guilty of first-degree murder and second-degree grand larceny, among other charges. The sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 10, according to the Manhattan DA's office.
During trial, prosecutors proved that Haspil, who was Saleh's entrepreneurial assistant in 2018, was responsible for many tasks that put him in direct contact with his boss's finances, the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. shared. Haspil was using two separate schemes to steal from Saleh.
In May 2019, Haspil resigned from the job but continued to steal from Saleh's business. In January 2020, a fraudulent transaction associated with Saleh's establishment was tracked back to Haspil. The transaction was for around $35,000.
Saleh confronted Haspil and they agreed to a repayment plan, the Manhattan District Attorney stated.
Haspil paid back the amount to Saleh but was afraid that his ex-boss would also learn about the bigger embezzlement he had orchestrated with Saleh's company, the Manhattan District Attorney stated. Haspil had by then stolen around $400,000 from his former boss.
Haspil began plotting Saleh's murder in order to prevent the latter from testifying against him in future criminal proceedings, the Manhattan District Attorney said. The accused purchased clothes to hide his identity and also was tracking the victim on social media.
Haspil considered murdering Saleh on three occasions, the Manhattan District Attorney stated. In March 2020, Haspil followed Saleh in Nigeria with a knife. After coming back to New York, he followed Saleh twice to Hopewell Junction, with the intention of either burning his house or stabbing him.
In May 2020, Haspil decided to kill Saleh in his home, the Manhattan District Attorney said. On June 17, 2020, Haspil bought items like Home Depot contractor bags, a Swiffer wetjet, and a saw.
The accused made duplicate keys to a vacant apartment across from Saleh's residence. Haspil installed a camera in the empty apartment, to keep an eye on the target's building.
On July 13, 2020, Haspil went inside Saleh's building and waited in the lobby, the Manhattan District Attorney stated. Haspil had donned a black custom suit and was carrying a knife and taser.
After Saleh returned, Haspil followed him into the elevator. The elevator went to Saleh's apartment and opened up. As soon as Saleh exited, he was tased by Haspil, who then followed up the attack by stabbing the victim in the neck and torso, the DA's office said.
The following day, Haspil returned to the apartment and dismembered Saleh's body, the Manhattan District Attorney said. He decapitated the body and put the remains in construction bags.
Haspil had to exit his former boss' home to get a battery charger for the saw he was using to cut up Saleh into pieces. While he was out, Saleh's cousin went to the victim's apartment, found the body, and contacted police. On his return, Haspil, spotted officers in the area and fled.
The case complaint states that Haspil was caught on surveillance camera buying the items later found near Saleh's body, People reported.
During the investigation, officials noted that Saleh's search history included terms like “dismembered body,” “Fahim Saleh,” and articles on “murder of Tech CEO in New York,” the Manhattan District Attorney noted.
On July 17, 2020, police located Haspil at an AirBnB that he had booked for his girlfriend's birthday and took him into custody. Haspil reportedly continued to steal money from Saleh's company until the day of his arrest.
On June 24, 2024, a New York State Supreme Court jury convicted Haspil of the charges against him.
“Today, a jury found Tyrese Haspil guilty of brutally murdering Fahim Saleh, his former mentor and boss, after stealing approximately $400,000 from him,” the Manhattan District Attorney announced.
“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. 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,” the Manhattan DA's office said.