SAN FRANCISCO — In a dramatic turn of events during his trial, Nima Momeni, the tech consultant accused in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee, testified that his actions stemmed from a “bad joke” made in an attempt to diffuse a situation after an intense night of partying. He recounted that the altercation began after he suggested to Lee that he might prefer to spend his final night in San Francisco with family instead of searching for a strip club.
This was Momeni’s first occasion to share his side of the story publicly. He claimed that after making the joke, Lee reportedly pulled out a knife and lunged at him, prompting Momeni to act in self-defense. Momeni asserted that after the struggle, Lee walked away without showing visible injuries. He stated that upon receiving news of Lee’s death the next day, he contacted his attorney immediately.
Describing the disparity between their statuses, Momeni remarked, “He’s a big famous guy. I’m just an average joe, an immigrant.” Bob Lee, 43, was later found on a desolate street in downtown San Francisco, where he was bleeding and calling for assistance. He subsequently succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
Prosecutors charge that Momeni, 40, had premeditated the attack on April 4, 2023, following an argument related to his younger sister, Khazar Momeni, with whom Lee had a friendship. They allege that Momeni took a knife from his sister’s home, transported Lee to a remote location, and stabbed him three times before fleeing. Meanwhile, Momeni’s defense argues that Lee had been behaving erratically and aggressively, having only slept a mere six hours over four days filled with drug use and drinking.
Momeni has entered a plea of not guilty and could face a prison term ranging from 26 years to life if found guilty. During his testimony, Momeni maintained that he and Lee were on amicable terms until his sister asked them to leave her condo at 2 a.m., wishing to rest after a long night of partying.
He described how they entered his BMW and began driving, with Lee preoccupied by his phone as he searched for their next destination. After encountering a pothole that caused Lee to spill his beer, Lee exited the car, prompting Momeni to follow, worried that Lee might be about to vomit. It was at this moment that he made his ill-advised joke about spending time with family.
“He just went from zero to 100,” Momeni explained, recalling the sudden shift in Lee’s demeanor. During cross-examination, Assistant District Attorney Omid Talai expressed skepticism about Momeni’s account. “He wanted to kill you over a bad joke?” Talai questioned, incredulous. Momeni responded, “I’m not sure why he pulled it out. I was in fear for my life.”
The tough questioning continued as Momeni defended himself against further scrutiny regarding text messages and testimonies from other individuals, with cross-examination set to resume on Thursday. Surveillance footage from the night in question shows Lee arriving at the luxurious Millennium Tower, where Momeni’s sister resides with her husband, a well-known San Francisco plastic surgeon. The footage tracks Lee and Momeni exiting the building and driving away together after 2 a.m., ultimately arriving at a secluded area near the Bay Bridge, where prosecutors claim the stabbing occurred, while the defense argues that the assault initiated from Lee.
Authorities recovered a knife featuring a 4-inch blade in the vicinity of Lee’s stabbing. Prosecutors indicated that DNA tests identified Momeni’s DNA on the handle and Lee’s on the bloody blade. However, the defense introduced an expert witness who contended that the police should have searched the handle for fingerprints, particularly those belonging to Lee. The tragic death of Lee sent shockwaves through the tech community, as many colleagues honored his legacy with tributes highlighting his generosity and intellect. At the time of his death, Lee served as the chief product officer for the cryptocurrency platform MobileCoin and was a father of two.