Prosecution Delivers Closing Argument in Murder Trial for Cash App Founder Bob Lee’s Stabbing Death

SAN FRANCISCO—On Monday, closing arguments commenced in the trial of a technology consultant accused of fatally stabbing Cash App founder Bob Lee in 2023, an incident that reverberated throughout the tech industry, as colleagues remembered Lee as a generous and kind-hearted entrepreneur.

Prosecutors in San Francisco allege that Nima Momeni struck Lee three times after learning that Lee’s friend, a drug dealer, had reportedly drugged and assaulted Momeni’s younger sister with GHB and other substances.

“One individual called 911, pleading for assistance, stating that someone had stabbed him,” stated Dane Reinstedt, the assistant district attorney, noting that the other party involved did not contact authorities or disclose the events of that night until the trial began.

Defense attorneys are set to deliver their closing arguments on Tuesday, followed by a rebuttal from the prosecution in this high-profile case that commenced on October 14. Momeni faces the possibility of 26 years to life if found guilty of murder. He has entered a plea of not guilty, prompting San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins to participate in part of the closing session on Monday.

Defense lawyers contend that Lee, 43, was engaged in a multi-day binge involving cocaine and ketamine, which made him aggressive and violent, claiming he attacked Momeni with a knife. They assert that Momeni was compelled to employ his Krav Maga training during the early hours of April 4, 2023, after making a “bad joke” that offended Lee, and had no awareness that he had inflicted stab wounds on him.

The emotional toll of the trial has been profound for the families of both men. On one side of the courtroom sits Mahnaz Tayarani, Momeni’s mother, while on the other side are Lee’s father, brother, and ex-wife.

During Monday’s proceedings, the prosecution opened with a recording of a 911 call in which Lee could be heard pleading for help. Lee’s ex-wife, Krista Lee, held her daughter, Scout, who wept on her mother’s shoulder as they both exited the room. Lee had two children.

Reinstedt took the opportunity to critique Momeni’s defense as he guided the jurors through the evidence presented over the past weeks.

Reinstedt asserted that Momeni was enraged with Lee for introducing Khazar Momeni, a friend, to a drug dealer who had reportedly given her GHB just hours before the stabbing occurred. Prosecutors claim that Momeni confronted Lee earlier that evening about the incident that took place at the drug dealer’s apartment and sent messages referring to the two men as creeps and sexual predators.

According to Reinstedt, Momeni then met Lee at his sister’s condo, retrieved a paring knife from her kitchen, drove Lee to a secluded area near the Bay Bridge, and stabbed him three times.

“The defendant’s protective instincts regarding his younger sister are what instigated this entire incident,” Reinstedt declared.

Surveillance footage reveals the two men departing Khazar Momeni’s upscale condo around 2 a.m. before getting into Momeni’s BMW. Further footage shows them exiting the vehicle in a remote part of the city near the Bay Bridge.

Momeni testified that he stopped the car after hitting a pothole that caused Lee to spill his beer. He recounted making a joke suggesting that Lee should spend his last evening in the city with family rather than looking for a strip club to continue partying.

According to Momeni, that was when Lee allegedly produced a knife from his jacket. Momeni maintained that Lee left afterward, showing no apparent signs of injury.

“I feared for my life,” Momeni expressed in previous testimony that sometimes became disjointed and combative.

Reinstedt countered that Momeni’s narrative lacked credibility considering Lee’s typically peaceful demeanor. He emphasized that Momeni never contacted the police regarding Lee’s supposed attack or after discovering that Lee succumbed to his injuries on the street where Momeni had last seen him.

The prosecutor described the stab wounds as precise and severe, asserting they did not result from any kind of defensive struggle and pointed out that nearly all of the DNA found on the knife handle—99 percent—belonged to Momeni.

The quality of the surveillance footage is subpar, but Reinstedt claimed it clearly depicted Momeni lunging repeatedly at Lee. He noted there was no indication of Lee attempting to defend himself with any weapon.

Reinstedt also presented a video showing Momeni and Lee leaving the condo, which showed Lee’s jacket fluttering, suggesting he had no concealed weapon.

At approximately 2:30 a.m., Lee was discovered stumbling on a deserted downtown San Francisco street, leaving a trail of blood and crying out for assistance. He later passed away in the hospital.

Lee’s death sent shockwaves through the tech community as peers and colleagues shared tributes highlighting his kindness and innovation. At the time of his death, Lee served as the chief product officer of the cryptocurrency platform MobileCoin.

By Jake Offenhartz