Fahim Saleh
Bangladeshi-American entrepreneur (1986–2020)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fahim Saleh (Bengali: ফাহিম সালেহ; December 12, 1986 – July 13, 2020) was a Bangladeshi-American entrepreneur and computer programmer who founded Gokada in Nigeria, as well as Pathao and JoBike.[2][3] He was also a founding partner of Adventure Capital, a Manhattan-based venture capital firm.
- Investor
- entrepreneur
Fahim Saleh | |
|---|---|
ফাহিম সালেহ | |
| |
| Born | December 12, 1986 Mecca, Saudi Arabia |
| Died | July 13, 2020 (aged 33) New York City, U.S. |
| Education | Bentley University, 2009[1] |
| Occupations |
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| Known for | Founder of Gokada |
| Title | |
Biography
Saleh was born in Saudi Arabia to Bangladeshi parents who frequently relocated for work, before settling in Rochester, New York. He taught himself to program at a young age and created various online projects, including a website for his family, a teenage social platform, and a prank call service, PrankDial.[4] After graduating from Bentley University,[1] he said he wanted to create something that "adds legitimate value to humanity." He launched his first company while in high school.[5] He used income from PrankDial to fund his other ventures.[6] The service was controversial for being misused as a harassment tool.[7]
In 2015, Saleh founded the ride-sharing company Pathao, popular in Bangladesh and Nepal.[8] The company was later valued at $100 million.[9][10] In 2018, Saleh founded Gokada, a Nigerian motorbike ride-hailing company. The company raised millions in funding but faced a major setback when Lagos authorities banned motorbike taxis in 2020.[11][12] He also invested in Picap, a Colombian ride-sharing company.[13]
Friends dubbed Saleh the "Elon Musk of the developing world."[14][15] Complex estimated his net worth at $150 million.[16]
Death
On July 14, 2020, Saleh's body was found dismembered in his Lower East Side apartment.[17][16] Police determined he had been killed the day before.[1]
On the night of July 13, neighbors heard shouting from Saleh's apartment. When his cousin couldn't reach him, she visited and discovered his remains, prompting a police response. Authorities found his torso and an electric saw, with his limbs and head in separate bags.[8] The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as multiple stab wounds.[18] Detectives classified this case as a homicide. A police source told The New York Times that Saleh was followed by a man dressed in black into the key-secured elevator that led to his apartment on the seventh floor.[15] Security footage depicted Saleh headed out of the elevator into his apartment with the man dressed in black following behind with a taser and Fahim falling onto his apartment floor. Saleh's cousin arrived to find the crime scene while the killer was visiting a Home Depot for more supplies.[19]
On July 17, Saleh's assistant, 21-year-old Tyrese Devon Haspil, was arrested and charged with his murder. Surveillance footage showed Haspil using Saleh's credit card and purchasing cleaning supplies and tools afterward at Home Depot.[1][20]
Reactions
Saleh's death shocked the tech community.[21] Gokada described him as "a great leader, inspiration and positive light for all of us." Pathao also paid tribute.[2]
Trials
The case against Tyrese Devon Haspil was adjourned until January 11, 2021.[22] Tyrese Devon Haspil pleaded not guilty.[23] In early 2024, Haspil stated that he will present an insanity defense for his trial to a Manhattan jury, alleging he suffered from "extreme emotional disturbance." His case is represented by Legal Aid Society lawyer Sam Roberts.[24] If he is able to convince the jury, his charges could possibly be reduced to manslaughter, which carries a sentence of 5 to 20 years, as opposed to 20 years to life for murder.[24]
On September 10, 2024, Haspil was sentenced to 40 years to life in state prison.[25]