Who is Nima Momeni? What we know about the man who killed Cash App founder Bob Lee

What’s new

IT consultant Nima Momeni was convicted Tuesday of murder in the fatal knife attack on Cash App founder Bob Lee in 2023.

Momeni, 40, was acquitted by San Francisco police of first-degree murder but found guilty of second-degree murder.

Newsweek has reached out to Momeni’s attorneys and San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins for comment.

Why it matters

Momeni faces 15 years to life in prison for murder, with the possibility of a sentence extension.

Elon Musk brought attention to the case in an April 2023 tweet when he questioned the San Francisco district attorney about “repeat violent offenders.” Police later said Momeni was not a repeat offender and that his sister was friends with Lee.

What you should know

Momeni was accused of driving Lee to a remote area and stabbing him three times with a kitchen knife, including in the heart. Momeni was a technology entrepreneur whose sister introduced him to Lee in the hopes that the men could work together on one of Momeni’s projects.

Prosecutors argued that Momeni planned to attack Lee after an argument broke out over his sister, who had told Momeni that she may have been sexually assaulted after taking GHB.

On the night of the murder, a witness saw Momeni questioning Lee about his sister’s behavior and her drug use.

Momeni claimed self-defense and said Lee pulled out a knife after they argued about Lee’s drug use and strip clubs.

Momeni claimed there had been an argument over the knife and he did not realize that Lee, who had allegedly been using drugs that night, had been stabbed until Lee walked away.

Police arrested Momeni for murder ten days later.

What people say

Krista Lee, Bob Lee’s wife, told reporters Tuesday after the verdict: “This man, in my opinion, deserves a life sentence.”

Bob Lee’s brother Oliver Lee told reporters: “We are happy with the result today. We are glad that Nima Momemi will be off the streets and will no longer have the opportunity to harm others.”

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins told reporters: “We all know that after the assassination of Bob Lee, Elon Musk on Twitter tried to really shame San Francisco and give the impression that this is about the lawlessness in San Francisco and what’s going on out on our streets “Goes,” Jenkins said. “And we knew it was something different.”

What happens next

A date for Momeni’s sentencing has not yet been set. A status hearing will be held on January 10, 2025.

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