Tyrese Haspil, 25, the former assistant of tech entrepreneur Fahim Saleh, has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison after being convicted of murder, grand larceny, and other charges related to the grisly 2020 slaying of his boss in Manhattan. Haspil, who was found guilty in June, shocked many during his sentencing by wearing a suit he purchased using some of the $400,000 he stole from Saleh.
The emotional sentencing took nearly two hours as Saleh’s family delivered tearful impact statements. Saleh’s father and sister addressed the court, grieving the brutal loss of the 33-year-old CEO, who was known for founding the Nigerian motorcycle ride-sharing company Gokada.
Haspil addressed the court, saying, “Unlike my counsel, I don’t think anything less than life without parole would be appropriate.” He further admitted that the suit he was wearing in court was bought with stolen money, adding to the emotional weight of the proceedings.
The court heard that despite discovering Haspil’s theft of $90,000, Saleh had intended to give his assistant a second chance by setting up a repayment plan instead of pressing charges. However, Haspil continued stealing from his employer using PayPal and other methods, eventually leading to a series of events that culminated in the horrific murder.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who attended the sentencing, commented, “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… 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.”
Prosecutors described the crime as premeditated, outlining how Haspil Tasered Saleh before fatally stabbing and dismembering him in his $2.4 million luxury apartment on the Lower East Side in July 2020. The murder, which prosecutors said was driven by Haspil’s fear that Saleh would expose his continued theft, was planned meticulously over time. According to Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Linda Ford, “Over this period of time, he was planning not only to commit the homicide but to get away with it… to cover it up and erase his debt.”
Haspil’s actions, as revealed in court, were part of a desperate attempt to keep his then-girlfriend, Marine Chaveuz, from discovering his fraudulent activities. Prosecutors alleged that Haspil feared she would break up with him if she found out about his thefts, driving him to commit the murder. Defense attorney Sam Roberts argued that Haspil was suffering from “extreme emotional disturbance” and felt his only options were “suicide or homicide.”
The gruesome details of the crime shocked the court. Investigators found Saleh’s decapitated and dismembered body in his apartment, along with a Makita saw, demolition bags containing body parts, and cleaning products. Surveillance footage showed Haspil, dressed in a black suit and mask, following Saleh into his apartment building’s elevator. Saleh, who appeared suspicious of the masked man, was Tasered as soon as the elevator doors opened into his full-floor apartment. Haspil’s attempts to cover up the crime were ultimately foiled by a missed “anti-felon disk” identification tag from the Taser, which led investigators directly to him.
Haspil’s credit card was also linked to purchases of a power saw and cleaning supplies at Home Depot, further solidifying the prosecution’s case. Detectives noted that Haspil even continued transferring money to himself using Saleh’s accounts in the days after the murder, demonstrating his brazen attitude toward the crime.
The investigation initially considered Saleh’s business dealings as a potential motive, but attention quickly turned to Haspil after detectives uncovered text messages in which Saleh accused his assistant of stealing money. The murder, which was initially thought to be motivated by financial disputes, was revealed to be the result of Haspil’s fear of exposure and his desperation to maintain his fraudulent lifestyle.
Haspil’s gruesome cleanup efforts were interrupted when Saleh’s cousin visited the apartment after not hearing from him for days. The cousin likely rang the buzzer, causing Haspil to flee the scene through a fire escape, leaving the body partially dismembered.
In addition to the murder charge, Haspil was convicted of two counts of second-degree grand larceny, burglary, evidence tampering, and concealing a corpse.
