Nima Momeni has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Bob Lee, a verdict reached by a San Francisco jury after seven days of deliberations.
The second-degree murder conviction carries a sentence of 15 years to life in prison and includes an enhancement for using a knife in the crime. Momeni was found not guilty of the more serious charge of first degree premeditated murder.
Prosecutors Dane Reinstedt and Omid Talai were present in the courtroom for the verdict, as was Sgt. Brent Dittmer – who testified at the trial – and a handful of members of the DA’s office. The Lee family, including his ex-wife Krista and his brother, were also there with other family members, friends and well-wishers.
Defense lawyers Tony Brass and Zoe Aron were also present along with Nima’s mother, Mahnaz Momeni. The sister of the defendant Khazar Momeni did not attend the reading of the verdict.
Bob Lee’s family speaks out
Outside the courtroom, Lee’s brother, Timothy Oliver Lee, said the family was pleased with the verdict.
“We are happy with today’s result. We are happy that Nima Momeni is not on the street, he no longer has the opportunity to hurt anyone else in this world,” he said. “The verdict on murder two will put him out for a long time.”
He also noted that in addition to Momeni’s guilty plea to murder, the proceedings showed that his family was complicit in the crime by trying to help cover it up and had “blood on their hands”. He said several dozen friends and well-wishers were in the courtroom with the family when the verdict was read.
“We are very grateful to the Prosecutor’s Office, we are very grateful to the juries. I believe that justice has been served here today,” he added.
SF DA Jenkins defends the city
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins was present for the verdict and thanked the attorneys who prosecuted the case outside the courtroom after the guilty verdict was read.
“I knew he trusted that we had the best two to handle this case,” Jenkins said. “And I think the verdict was a testament to the hard work they did, the great lawyers they are and their commitment to justice and to making sure this family gets justice.”
He also pushed back against what Elon Musk and others said after the stabbing when critics claimed San Francisco was lawless and out of control as part of the popular “death loop” narrative that is commonly broadcast in social networks.
“I think hopefully now we’ve reestablished what really happened here. We all know that after Bob Lee was killed, Elon Musk took to Twitter to make an effort to really embarrass San Francisco and make to make it seem like this was about lawlessness in San Francisco and what’s happening on our streets,” Jenkins said.
He noted that law enforcement believed Lee’s fatal stabbing was not a random crime.
“And we knew it was something different. And I think today has shown once again that we are a city committed to responsibility, we are a city committed to public safety,” he added. “And that when something bad happens, which we can’t always control, law enforcement at all levels will respond to make sure there’s justice and accountability in each and every situation.”
Jenkins said his office would prepare for Momeni’s defense team to file an appeal.
Cash app founder fatally stabbed
Momeni was accused fatally stabbing tech executive Lee in a secluded part of San Francisco’s East Cut neighborhood under the Bay Bridge in April 2023.
Judicial officials announced Monday afternoon that the jury had reached a verdict shortly before 4 p.m
Prosecutors accused Momeni of stabbing Lee with a kitchen knife after a heated argument about his sister’s relationship with Lee. as well as their drug use. During the trial, Momeni’s lawyers he claimed his client acted in self-defensealleging that Lee lunged at Momeni with a knife in hand while high on ketamine and cocaine. The defense said Lee became erratic and aggressive after Momeni made a “bad joke” at the expense of Lee’s family.
Intense test
The six-week trial was marked by dramatic testimony, including an appearance on the stand by Momeni’s sister, Khazar Momeni. He testified as a prosecution witness and insisted during his first day of testimony that his brother did not kill Lee. He also detailed the consumption various drugs with Lee and others in the days leading up to the fatal stabbing.
During cross-examination by defense attorneys, Khazar Momeni described Lee as “all over the place” and “aggressive” while using drugs. His testimony was criticized outside the courtroom by Lee’s ex-wife, Krista Lee, who accused her of trying to “make herself a victim”.
The testimony became controversial when Nima Momeni took the stand, as the accused confronted the prosecution during cross-examination after before describing how Lee allegedly attacked him while his defense team cross-examined him about the confrontation.
Challenging the story of Nima Momeni
San Francisco Assistant District Attorney Omid Talai challenged Momeni’s version of the story and focused on his actions immediately after Lee’s death, including his calls to lawyers and text messages with the his sister
The case was closed in the first week of December with prosecutors trying to tear down Momeni’s defense in his closing arguments and asking why he didn’t call the police or tell anyone that Lee had attacked him..
The defense showed a bombshell video during its closing arguments, present surveillance images they claimed they showed Lee doing cocaine on the street outside a private club with the same knife used to kill him hours later. Defense attorney Saam Zangeneh, who used a cardboard cutout of the knife in court so the jury could see the size of the knife, said the video showed Lee had it in his possession the entire time.
That video sparked a tense exchange between Zangeneh and Lee’s ex-wife, who let out a loud, mocking laugh as she played the footage.
Zangeneh turned to address her directly, saying it wasn’t funny. The prosecution quickly objected and the judge intervened to restore order in the courtroom.
the jury deliberations began on the morning of December 4.
Who is Nima Momeni?
Nima Momeni, 40, was described as a “tech entrepreneur” when was arrested for the murder of Bob Lee in April 2023. Momeni was arrested at his Emeryville home on April 11, days after the fatal stabbing.
According to his Linkedin page, Momeni is the owner of Expand IT. Their profile describes the company as providing IT solutions to the Bay Area since 2010.
Neighbors who lived near Momeni was surprised to learn of his arrest. After Momeni was arrested, veteran Bay Area public relations man Sam Singer, who worked alongside him, said he had never had a problem with the defendant beyond listening to music a little too loud.
“A warm, welcoming, very personable fellow, like any other tech consultant here in the Bay Area, lives in a live-work space,” Singer said. “He handed us a stack of letters and said, ‘If you ever need anything, let me know.’
It later emerged that Khazar Momeni had introduced Lee to his brother, thinking the successful Cash App founder might work with him on one of Nima’s projects.