The thug who threatened to gang rape a Virgin air stewardess and set her alight is a ‘tremendous flash’ recruitment tycoon whose enterprise went bust with £17million price of money owed – and has two wives, we are able to reveal.
Father-of-three Salman Iftikhar, 37, was flying in firstclass when he launched a vile tirade of abuse in the direction of Virgin Atlantic employees on a flight from London Heathrow to Lahore.
Wealthy passengers aboard the flight watched in horror because the recruitment boss repeatedly known as steward Angie Walsh a ‘f***ing b****’ at 39,000ft.
He later threatened to blow-up the five-star resort the cabin crew had been set to remain in.
Iftikhar, a Pakistani nationwide, was jailed for 15 months earlier this week after he left Ms Walsh ‘damaged’ and ‘traumatised’ having declared she can be dragged out of her resort room and assaulted.
At the time of his arrest, Iftikhar was dwelling in his £2m home in Iver, Buckinghamshire, the place he saved a variety of high-priced automobiles – from a Range Rover, Bentley and Royles Royce – on his driveway.
He lived within the six-bedroom house with considered one of his wives, Erum Salman, 38, and their three kids, who watched in horror and tried to intervene throughout his in-flight drunken tirade.
Together the pair run a London-based staffing firm that gives coaching to companies working in customer support and manufacturing.
Salman Iftikhar, who threatened to gang rape a Virgin air stewardess and set her alight, is a ‘tremendous flash’ recruitment tycoon whose enterprise went bust with £17m price of money owed
Salman Iftikhar, 37, can be a father of three and has two wives, together with Erum Salman, 38
But in accordance with these identified to the couple the pair had a ‘rocky marriage and would argue fairly a bit’ – with police being known as in a single occasion.
Back in Pakistan, nevertheless, Iftikhar has one other spouse – supermodel and actress Abeer Rizvi, with whom he has been married for 5 years.
The actress, who has greater than half one million followers on TikTok, has shared liked up movies of the couple trying happier than ever, cuddled up collectively or attending movie premiers collectively.
On Iftikhar’s birthday earlier this yr, the 37-year-old, who gained Veet Supermodel of the Year in 2012, penned on Instagram: ‘My beloved husband, on at the present time I need to honour you and your distinctive methods. …
‘Disagreements might come and go, however your love and understanding is available in abundance. I’m really grateful for having the ability to share this journey with you.’
The couple seem to take pleasure in an extravagant way of life, spending time on yachts, having fun with luxurious holidays or driving round in costly automobiles.
Indeed again within the UK along with his different spouse and mom of his kids, Iftikar is seen exhibiting off an analogous glitzy way of life.
Pictures shared on-line present him posing in entrance of a royal blue Royles Royce kitted out with a white leather-based inside.
At the time of his arrest, Iftikhar was dwelling in his £2m home in Iver, Buckinghamshire
Iftikhar retains a variety of high-priced automobiles – from a Range Rover, Bentley and Royles Royce – on his driveway
Iftikhar lived within the six-bedroom house with Erum Salman (pictured proper) and their three kids, who watched on in horror at his in-flight drunken tirade
Other photos present a Range Rover, Bentley and a Mercedes parked outdoors the house of the six-bedroom property.
However in actuality, the recruitment boss, regardless of being very rich, had a failed enterprise enterprise which have left him tens of millions of kilos in debt.
The enterprise mogul beforehand owned an aviation recruitment enterprise, nevertheless it went into administration owing greater than £11m to HMRC and £6.885m to HSBC.
The firm, known as Core Labour Supply Limited (CLSL), had a speedy rise and rapidly began having a turnover of just about £90m in 2022.
It meant Iftikhar was in a position to proceed having fun with his style for the excessive life – paying himself dividends of just about £1m a yr between 2018 and 2021.
But the enterprise was badly affected by Covid and two of his greatest clients, which accounted for 35 per cent, left.
The firm could not meet compensation phrases with the HMRC, forcing them into administration.
He now owns a coaching firm known as Staffing Match, which he has owned since September 2024 for his spouse.
Back in Pakistan, Iftikhar has one other spouse – supermodel and actress Abeer Rizvi
Iftikhar has been married to 37-year-old Pakistani actress and mannequin Rizvi for 5 years
Actress Rizvi, who has greater than 500,000 followers on TikTok, shared movies of the couple
Rizvi and Iftikhar seem to take pleasure in an extravagant way of life, spending time on yachts, having fun with luxurious holidays or driving round in costly automobiles
On Iftikhar’s birthday earlier this yr, Rizvi, who gained Veet Supermodel of the Year in 2012, shared that his ‘love and understanding is available in abundance’
The London-based enterprise offers coaching to companies working in customer support and manufacturing.
The couple have quite a few different small associated companies, which don’t have important reserves or have made small losses.
Despite this, Iftikhar, who now owns a coaching firm known as Staffing Match, nonetheless continued to reside an expensive way of life.
A neighbour of Mr Iftikhar – who requested to not be named – revealed to the Daily Mail: ‘He’s positively very flash, somebody who likes to flaunt his wealth.
‘How he made his cash is past me, he ran a recruitment consultancy however I did not actually are likely to see him depart for work. He was round the home more often than not.
‘He moved in along with his spouse in 2016. At that point that they had two kids, however had one other a number of years later. I keep in mind they threw an enormous costly first birthday celebration for his or her third baby.
‘The home has had a variety of work performed. It had a brick frontage initially, however Salman had all of it rendered. He additionally had a giant extension around the again.
‘The property was once open, however he got here alongside and surrounded it with large electrical gates and an intercom system.
This is the second Virgin Atlantic passenger Salman Iftikhar, 37, (centre) launched a vile tirade in the direction of the cabin crew of his flight after being informed to cease serving to himself to ice from the bar
Iftikhar is seen right here in a single rant repeatedly accusing Ms Walsh of being a racist and says: ‘You known as me a p*ki in entrance of everyone’
The individual filming the interplay will be heard saying ‘holy s***’ as Iftikhar goes again to his seat following the tirade
Angie (left) together with her sister and fellow Virgin Atlantic air steward Claire Walsh. Angie stated the feedback made by Iftikhar left her ‘damaged’ and ‘traumatised’
‘He solely ever actually stated whats up or something like that to me when he first moved in. After that he type of fenced himself off and did not actually mingle with different neighbours a lot.
‘One factor he did like was automobiles. He owned a Bentley and Range Rover, however he’d additionally drive completely different automobiles on a short lived foundation.
‘I believe he might have been a part of a automotive membership or one thing like that as a result of he’d drive quite a lot of completely different autos. Usually costly trying ones.
‘He was driving round in a pink sports activities automotive a number of months in the past. He’d exit early night typically and are available house about 10pm revving the engine and blaring music out of the audio system.
‘It was actually annoying and thoughtless particularly as individuals had been attempting to get to sleep. He thought he seemed cool, however he actually did not.
‘I noticed him a number of occasions smoking weed on the entrance drive once I walked previous his home in the direction of the sector.
‘I collect he had points with medication and alcohol. I heard that at one level inside the previous couple of years he’d been banned from driving.
‘His marriage had been rocky for some time, apparently, and he and his spouse would argue fairly a bit. The police had been known as to 1 incident final May. An officer knocked on a number of neighbour’s doorways asking in the event that they’d heard any yelling.’
Iftikhar, a Pakistani nationwide, was jailed for 15 months earlier this week after he left Virgin air stewardess Ms Walsh ‘damaged’ and ‘traumatised’ by the incident
Another native stated: ‘He’d often tear down this street in a Range Rover or another highly effective automotive.
‘We’ve received a 20mph velocity restrict right here, however he was driving effectively above that.
‘He was a little bit of a poser when it got here to automobiles and his home. He’d performed a variety of the constructing work on his house across the time of lockdown a number of years again.
‘I assumed he was a bit boastful as he’d have mates turning up at his place in any respect hours and when he first moved in and was having constructing work performed he’d parked his automobiles on his neighbour’s driveway reverse with out asking.
‘The neighbour talked about it to him and he stopped doing it, however did not apologise or something. I assumed that was fairly impolite.’
This week he admitted making threats to kill and racially aggravated harassment at Isleworth Crown Court, and was jailed for 15 months.
Shocking footage reveals Iftikhar repeatedly accusing Ms Walsh of being a racist and says: ‘You known as me a p*ki in entrance of everyone’.
Iftikhar’s spouse and kids will be heard crying within the background, pleading for him to cease as they had been comforted by horrified cabin crew employees.
Cabin crew had been compelled to debate touchdown in Turkey as a consequence of his disruptive behaviour to which Iftikhar replied, ‘I do not care. F*** it, go to Turkey. I’ve contacts’.
He went on to say he knew the place Mrs Walsh lived in Cardiff earlier than shouting ‘the white sheep sh****** b**** can be lifeless. The ground of your resort can be blown up and it’ll disappear’.
The courtroom heard the incident had erupted when Iftikhar was informed to cease choosing up ice along with his arms from the bucket on the bar he was consuming at.
‘Mr Iftikhar was seen consuming champagne on the onboard bar, the place he was speaking to cabin crew,’ stated prosecutor Abdul Kapadia.
‘During the defendant’s first meal service, the defendant was seen serving to himself to ice, leaning over bar he was consuming at, and taking ice along with his arms.
‘When informed to cease, the defendant turned irate, and began to movie cabin crew along with his telephone, telling them: ‘Do not inform me what to do you b****.’
‘When requested by the cabin crew to return to his seat, he then stated: ‘Don’t inform me what to do you racist f-king bitch. I do know the place you might be from in Cardiff.’
The pilot was then contacted, and turned the seat belt lights on.
Erum Salman (left) and Iftekhar run a London-based staffing firm that gives coaching to companies working in customer support and manufacturing
Iftekhar’s profile describes him as an ‘award successful entrepreneur’ and ‘investor’
‘The defendant then shouted, and stated: ‘Look at this b**** having the seat belt signal on when there was no turbulence. What the f*** is that this b**** doing?’
Iftikhar returned to his seat and known as crew member Angie Walsh a ‘f****** b****.’
Mr Kapadia stated: ‘The defendant’s behaviour turned worse. The cabin crew mentioned a diversion to Turkey.
‘The defendant was knowledgeable of this doable diversion, to which he replied: ‘I do not care. F*** it, go to Turkey. I’ve contacts.
‘The defendant then sat down, however his aggressive behaviour continued.
‘His spouse was ashamed. His three kids had been additionally on-board, and different crew members had been known as to help, however the defendant continued shouting and swearing.
‘He was slurring his phrases, along with his voice raised.
‘He shouted on the cabin crew: “Do you know who I am?”
‘The defendant’s spouse went to the meals bar and tried to speak to cabin crew, however the defendant pushed his spouse away, and shouted at her to not discuss to crew.
‘A crew member stabilised the spouse’s arm to stop her from falling when she was pushed.
‘The defendant then received up, and threatened to struggle the cabin crew.
‘He grabbed one flight attendant, known as Tommy Merchant, and informed him to close up and go away.
‘He informed Mr Merchant: “Do you know who I am? F*** off. You should know who I am. Come on you heard me. Let’s go right now.”
‘Staff tried to calm the defendant down. The defendant was requested if there was something the cabin crew may do.
‘But Mr Iftikhar leant ahead and grabbed Ms Walsh’s hand, squeezing it.
‘Iftikhar known as Ms Walsh a ‘f****** white Welsh c***.’
Despite being very rich, Iftikhar had a failed enterprise enterprise which have left him tens of millions of kilos in debt (pictured with spouse Erum Salman)
Mr Kapadia added: ‘The defendant additionally threatened to explode the ground of the Avari Lahore Hotel, the place the cabin crew had been as a consequence of keep.
‘The defendant knew the particular resort, but additionally the resort room numbers, and threatened the cabin crew with this.
‘He informed Ms Walsh: ‘You can be lifeless on the ground of your resort’.
‘Iftikhar shouted at Ms Walsh and stated: ‘The white sheep sh****** b**** can be lifeless. The ground of your resort can be blown up and it’ll disappear.
‘He informed Ms Walsh: “You will be dragged by your hair from your room and gang raped and set on fire”.
‘The defendant stated this whereas his three younger kids had been crying and pleading for him to cease.’
The particulars of the resort turned out to be right, and Ms Walsh needed to keep there in a single day, and couldn’t sleep, Mr Kapadia stated.
Mr Kapadia stated when the aircraft landed in Pakistan no motion was taken in opposition to Iftikhar.
Iftikhar (pictured) was lastly arrested at his £900,000 indifferent house in Buckinghamshire on March 16, 2024 – greater than a yr on from the vile outburst
Ms Walsh sat in courtroom accompanied by her sister, Claire Walsh, who can be a Virgin Atlantic flight attendant, of their uniforms.
She informed how she needed to take 14 months off work in a sufferer impression assertion learn to the courtroom.
She stated: ‘I really feel like what occurred that day has modified my life enormously.
‘I can not fairly imagine that one passenger has had this a lot of an impression on my job, my profession and my life.
‘I’m a robust, courageous, comfortable stewardess, and liked my job. I’m well-known throughout the firm.
‘I’ve been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I used to be working when all flights had been grounded on 9/11, and I’ve even flown right into a warzone. But this incident has damaged me.
‘But I do not really feel sturdy sufficient anymore. I used to be abused for eight hours and 15 minutes. It has damaged me. It was a really private assault.
‘I used to be doing all the things in my energy to guard passengers and the crew from him. I felt uncovered and weak, particularly as we had been 39,000 toes within the air. There was nowhere for me to go.
Iftikhar (pictured) is the director and founding father of recruitment agency Staffing Match, in accordance with his LinkedIn profile
‘There was one second the place I felt I couldn’t cope. I went into the cockpit and had a meltdown. I stated to the captain I do not know what to do.
‘Even the specter of diverting the aircraft to Turkey or Baku, Azerbaijan, had no impact.
‘I used to be traumatised by the specter of being gang raped.
‘Never in my complete profession flying for 37 years have I not been positive what to do.
‘I’ve had the very best profession on the planet for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me.’
Iftikhar, of Iver, Buckinghamshire, admitted making threats to kill and racially aggravated harassment, in relation to Ms Walsh.
He was cleared of assault by beating and threats to kill in relation to Mr Merchant.
Ben Walker-Nolan, defending, stated Iftikhar was affected by ‘amnesia blood loss’, which contributed to what occurred.
Mr Walker-Nolan added: ‘Although there have been over 100 incidents over the course of eight hours, probably the most critical, together with threats to kill, had been restricted.
‘The defendant has buried his head within the sand for a protracted interval, and expressed remorse.
‘He has a protracted standing drug and alcohol drawback which he has not addressed for a few years.
‘He is a profitable businessman who employs lots of people.’
Iftikhar has six earlier convictions arising from 15 offences, together with widespread assault in 2004 and drink driving in 2008.
He was fined £3,000 in 2021 after he was caught drink driving, in addition to being underneath the affect of hashish in his Rolls Royce in 2021.
Family members wept within the public gallery because the decide Ms Recorder Annabel Darlow KC stated: ‘Your threats to kill had been made within the presence of kids, particularly your three younger kids.
‘These had been threats made with important violence.
‘Your kids needed to be comforted by cabin crew employees whilst you made these threats.
‘Ms Walsh has given up a job which she has liked for 14 months, however fortunately has now returned to work.
‘This was a sustained incident which concerned repeated racist abuse to Ms Walsh.
‘You have a prolonged and appalling report of misconduct. You haven’t addressed the underlying explanation for this for a few years, that’s your drug and alcohol drawback.
‘Given your way of life and your capability to earn cash, your hurt and threat has not moved.
‘This was an appalling incident which has brought about lengthy lasting and devastating penalties.’
Iftikhar, who appeared within the dock carrying a gray swimsuit with a pink shirt, and a yellow tie wept as he was jailed for 15 months.
According to his LinkedIn profile he’s the director and founding father of recruitment agency Staffing Match.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson commented: ‘The security and safety of our clients and crew is at all times our high precedence, and we take a zero-tolerance strategy to any disruptive or abusive behaviour on board our plane.
‘We will at all times work carefully with the related authorities and won’t hesitate to hunt prosecution for these people that trigger disruption onboard by means of unacceptable behaviour.’
‘We’re extremely grateful to Angie and our cabin crew onboard who handled this distressing scenario in a peaceful, brave {and professional} method.
‘We are pleased with Angie for her bravery in courtroom and we are going to proceed to supply her our full assist.’