A United States court has sentenced 25-year-old Tyrese Haspil to 40 years to life in prison for the gruesome murder of Fahim Saleh, a tech entrepreneur and founder of the Nigerian-based company Gokada.
The tragic incident took place in New York City, where 33-year-old Saleh was brutally killed in 2020.
Haspil, who previously worked as Saleh’s executive assistant, was convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree grand larceny, and related charges. The sentencing comes two months after a New York State Supreme Court jury found him guilty.
According to court reports, Haspil embezzled a large sum of money from Saleh, and to avoid detection, he plotted and executed the murder.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. described Saleh as a kind and generous person who gave Haspil a second chance despite the betrayal, making the crime particularly heartbreaking.
Surveillance footage revealed that Haspil followed Saleh into his Lower Manhattan apartment, where he attacked him with a taser before fatally stabbing him. The next day, Haspil returned to dismember and decapitate the body, using pre-ordered construction bags to dispose of the remains. Saleh’s cousin discovered the horrifying scene after he was unreachable for a day.
Authorities arrested Haspil a few days later at an Airbnb, where he was celebrating his girlfriend’s birthday.
Investigations revealed that Haspil had been siphoning approximately $400,000 from Saleh’s accounts through fake PayPal and corporate bank accounts. Despite repaying some of the stolen funds, the embezzlement continued, leading to the tragic events.
Gokada, founded by Saleh in Nigeria in 2017, initially started as a ride-hailing service but later expanded into logistics and food delivery.
Following his death, the company praised Saleh’s dedication to Nigerian youth and his belief in technology as a tool for societal change.
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