SAN FRANCISCO — In a significant legal development, a San Francisco jury has found tech consultant Nima Momeni guilty of second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Bob Lee. The conviction carries a potential sentence ranging from 16 years to life in prison.
After seven days of deliberation, jurors reached a verdict regarding the April 4, 2023 incident in which Lee, a revered figure in the tech industry, was discovered wounded on a desolate downtown street, bleeding and seeking help. Tragically, the 43-year-old succumbed to his injuries later at a local hospital.
Tim Oliver Lee, the victim’s brother, expressed relief following the verdict, stating, “We think justice was done here today. What matters today is that we had a guilty verdict and Nima Momeni is going away for a very long time.”
During the trial, prosecutors painted a picture of a premeditated attack, alleging that Momeni lured Lee to a secluded area beneath the Bay Bridge before stabbing him three times with a knife taken from his sister’s kitchen. The motive, they argued, stemmed from Momeni’s anger over Lee’s alleged role in introducing his younger sister to a drug dealer, who reportedly assaulted her.
Conversely, Momeni defended himself in court, claiming that Lee was the aggressor, brandishing a knife after Momeni reprimanded him for prioritizing leisure activities over family time. Momeni, who has a background in martial arts, asserted that he acted in self-defense and didn’t realize Lee had been mortally wounded.
The high-profile nature of this case, partly a result of Lee’s prominent position in the tech world, has captured national attention.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins remarked that the verdict is indicative of a targeted crime rather than random violence, emphasizing the city’s commitment to accountability and public safety.
Momeni, 40, has remained in custody since his April 2023 arrest on first-degree murder charges. The jury began their deliberations following the trial, which commenced on October 14 and concluded on December 4.
Bob Lee was the creator of the widely-used Cash App and served as the chief product officer for cryptocurrency MobileCoin at the time of his death. He had recently relocated to Miami, where his ex-wife and their two children currently reside.
