A San Francisco jury has convicted Nima Momeni of second-degree murder for the fatal stabbing of Bob Lee, the creator of Cash App and former CTO of Block, accordingtoreports.
The jury rejected first-degree murder charges, indicating they did not find the act premeditated.
Lee was killed in downtown San Francisco in April 2023, following a two-day drug binge involving Khazar Momeni, Nima’s sister. Prosecutors argued that Khazar had been sexually assaulted by a drug dealer during the binge, which led to a confrontation where Nima used a kitchen knife from his sister’s home to stab Lee.
While second-degree murder carries a lighter sentence than first-degree murder, it still entails a lengthy prison term.
At the time of his death, Lee, 43, was the chief product officer at the cryptocurrency company MobileCoin and was celebrated for his significant contributions to the tech industry. He had previously spearheaded the development of Cash App while working at Jack Dorsey’s Block and had contributed to the development of Android at Google. Lee was also an investor in major companies such as SpaceX, Clubhouse, Tile, and Figma.
Following his death, tributes poured in from tech leaders, including Dylan Field, CEO of Figma, and Jack Dorsey, who highlighted Lee’s influence and contributions.
Initial speculation about Lee’s murder linked it to San Francisco’s crime and homelessness issues, but it was later revealed that he knew his killer.
