Staff Reports
A tech consultant now finds himself in a precarious position after being found guilty of second-degree murder for the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee. Nima Momeni, the 40-year-old tech guru, tried to claim that the incident was a mere case of self-defense gone wrong, but the jury wasn’t buying it. Instead, they sided with the prosecution, convincing everyone that Momeni had his knife sharpened not for cooking, but for a predetermined act of violence.
On April 4, 2023, the tech scene lost a notable figure when Lee was discovered bleeding out on a deserted downtown San Francisco street. The jury took a week to sift through the evidence, and by the end, they decided that Momeni’s attempt to spin a yarn of self-defense was less convincing than a used car salesman trying to sell a lemon. The conviction could land him a sentence stretching from 16 years to life, which sounds pretty cozy for someone who plotted a murder, wouldn’t you say?
San Francisco Jury Issues Verdict in Cash App Founder's Murder Case https://t.co/FJIbYmDH0K
— Marlon East Of The Pecos (@Darksideleader2) December 17, 2024
Prosecutors painted a clear picture depicting Momeni as a jealous family member who took a long-anticipated stab, quite literally, at Lee, driven by rage over his sister’s relationship with the Cash App CEO. Momeni allegedly drove Lee to a secluded spot, artistic as it may sound, before using a knife—a weapon borrowed from his sister’s kitchen—to stab him thrice. If one were to envision the scene, it wouldn’t be long before one realizes that the only thing missing was a dramatic soundtrack.
Momeni’s defense was an attempt to pull a fast one by alleging that Lee instigated the chaos, accusing him of being under the influence of drugs and bursting into aggression after Momeni made what he described as a “bad joke.” It’s hard to tell whether that joke was more of a desperate plea for familial connection or just an attempt to misdirect attention from a well-planned mugging. Either way, one can’t help but wonder how a “bad joke” escalates into a knife fight. But in the tech world, anything is possible—like debating if an iPhone can double as a weapon.
Further complicating things, Momeni’s sister, Khazar Elyasssnia, added fuel to the fire by sending a text claiming Lee was “deeply into drugs” and that Momeni had been hard on him. As if texting about how bad your brother-in-law is for your sister’s mental health could somehow assist in the trial’s outcome. Ultimately, the court shrugged off Momeni’s defense, focusing instead on the calculating nature of the attack. Now, Momeni is looking at a lengthy stay in the slammer while many are left to wonder if Bay Area courts are beginning to apply justice with a bit more zeal than in the past.
With the sentencing set for January 15, 2025, Momeni has plenty of time to contemplate fortune lost and poor life choices made in the heat of the moment. Perhaps he’ll become the next cautionary tale at tech parties: don’t bring a knife to a joke fight, unless you’re prepared to face the consequences in a very unforgiving courtroom.
