A San Francisco court sentenced tech consultant Nima Momeni to 16 years to life in prison on Tuesday for the fatal stabbing of Bob Lee, founder of Cash App, in a case that concluded with a second-degree murder conviction in December 2024.
Judge Alexandra Gordon of the San Francisco Superior Court rejected Momeni’s request for a new trial before imposing the sentence. Momeni, who has been in custody since his arrest nine days after Lee’s death on April 4, 2023, remains in jail pending his planned appeal, according to his attorneys.
Core Facts of the Case
Lee, 43, was found staggering on a downtown San Francisco street, bleeding heavily, and later died at a hospital. Prosecutors alleged that Momeni lured Lee to an isolated area under the Bay Bridge and stabbed him three times, including once to the heart, using a knife taken from his sister’s kitchen. The prosecution argued that Momeni was motivated by anger over Lee’s alleged role in introducing his younger sister to a drug dealer, who she claimed provided her with GHB and other drugs before sexually assaulting her.
Momeni’s defense, however, presented a different account during the trial. He testified that Lee had attacked him with a knife after Momeni made a comment about Lee’s family and his whereabouts that night. Momeni claimed he acted in self-defense and did not realize Lee had been fatally wounded. The jury rejected this argument, convicting Momeni of second-degree murder but acquitting him of premeditated first-degree murder.
Courtroom Reactions and Statements
Family members of Lee addressed the court during the sentencing, including his 18-year-old daughter, Scout Lee, who spoke directly to Momeni. According to reports, she told him, “You did not just end his life, you ended an entire future built around a man.” Momeni responded that he understood their loss but maintained that the two parties had “completely different understandings of what transpired.”
Background and Context
Lee was a prominent figure in the tech industry, serving as the chief technology officer of Square, Inc. and the chief product officer of MobileCoin at the time of his death. His killing sparked discussions about crime in San Francisco, with some public figures amplifying narratives about the city’s perceived lawlessness. However, city officials countered that the stabbing was not a random act but stemmed from a personal dispute.
The sentencing was delayed by post-trial motions from Momeni’s defense team, including requests for a new trial and changes in legal representation. Judge Gordon ultimately dismissed these challenges before proceeding with the sentencing.
Momeni’s attorneys have indicated plans to appeal the conviction and sentence, arguing that the jury’s verdict and the judge’s rulings were not supported by the evidence presented during the trial.