An assistant to a wealthy New York CEO murdered the business mogul out of "unconditional love" for his girlfriend because he was afraid she would leave him if she discovered he was paying for their opulent lifestyle by embezzling from his boss, his lawyers claimed on Friday.
NYC Tech Mogul's Assistant Confesses to Killing His Boss
In his closing arguments at his client's Manhattan murder trial, defense attorney Sam Roberts portrayed Tyrese Haspil as someone driven by an overwhelming passion that led to an "extreme emotional disturbance."
Based on Roberts, it was this disturbance that ultimately led Haspil to brutally kill investor Fahim Saleh in his Lower East Side apartment in July 2020, in an attempt to conceal his theft of nearly half a million dollars.
The 25-year-old individual is confessing to the crime, but is asserting that his intense infatuation compelled him to commit the act, in an attempt to have the charges reduced from first-degree murder to second-degree manslaughter.
The amount in Haspil's romance tab reached $400,000 by May 2020, according to prosecutors. They alleged that he killed Saleh out of fear of being exposed and losing the lifestyle he had created with the embezzled money.
According to Business Insider, Haspil, 25, could potentially face a life sentence without the possibility of parole if found guilty of the alleged murder.
The victim, Saleh, 33, was a highly respected tech entrepreneur of Bangladeshi American descent. He had achieved great success through his motorbike ride-share and delivery service, Gokada, in Nigeria.
Haspil Stole to Buy Lavish Gifts for Girlfriend Before Visa Expired
During his testimony on Monday, Haspil provided insight into his mental state at the time. He mentioned that he required additional funds to purchase birthday gifts for his girlfriend, Marine Chauveau, such as Louis Vuitton handbags and Christian Louboutin shoes.
This was important as her Visa was expiring, and she would be returning to France in the coming summer.
Haspil had been involved in fraudulent activities for nearly two years, even after resigning from his position as the tech CEO's personal assistant, which paid him $50,000 annually, New York Post reported.
According to Haspil's testimony, his former boss had chosen not to press charges and allowed him to repay the money, but had only uncovered a small portion of the thefts.
During the trial, Haspil revealed his strategy of prolonging the situation by concealing his victim, bit by bit.
Based on Haspil's testimony, he revisited the location the day after the incident, where he proceeded to place a towel over Saleh's face before using a Makita brand, 18-volt cordless reciprocating saw to "separate" the body.
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