16 Years: The Sentence for Cash App Founder's Stabbing
A tech consultant was sentenced Tuesday in San Francisco for the 2023 murder of Bob Lee.
By Arjun Weber ·
Sixteen years to life. That is the prison term imposed on Nima Momeni in the death of Bob Lee, the founder of Cash App. The sentence was handed down Tuesday in San Francisco Superior Court. Judge Alexandra Gordon delivered the ruling after rejecting Momeni's motion for a new trial.
The legal outcome follows a December 2024 verdict where a jury convicted Momeni of second-degree murder. They rejected his argument that he acted in self-defense. Prosecutors argued the attack was planned. They stated Momeni drove Lee to an isolated location under the Bay Bridge. There, Momeni stabbed him three times, one strike hitting his heart. The weapon was a knife taken from his sister's kitchen.
Momeni, 32, has been in custody since his arrest nine days after the April 4, 2023, incident. He wore an orange jumpsuit during the sentencing hearing. His legal team indicated they will appeal the decision. Momeni maintained his defense, telling the family he understood their loss. He stated, “Unfortunately, we have completely different understandings of what transpired.”
Bob Lee, 43, was found staggering on a deserted downtown street. He was leaving a trail of blood and calling for help before dying at a hospital. He had recently moved to Miami from the Bay Area. He was in San Francisco visiting his ex-wife, Krista Lee, and their two children.
Scout Lee, Bob’s 18-year-old daughter, spoke directly to Momeni in court. She said, “You did not just end his life, you ended an entire future built around a man.” The family's presence marked the emotional center of the proceedings. The jury had earlier rejected a charge of first-degree murder. That charge required proof of premeditation. Second-degree murder does not require that specific intent.
Momeni testified that Lee attacked him first with a knife. He said he did not realize he had fatally wounded Lee. Prosecutors countered that Momeni was angry after Lee introduced his younger sister to a drug dealer. The sister alleged the dealer gave her GHB and other drugs before sexually assaulting her. This conflict fueled Momeni's motive, according to the prosecution's narrative.
