New details have emerged about the fatal stabbing of Bob Lee, the chief product officer at cryptocurrency startup MobileCoin and founder of Cash App, and the arrest of Nima Momeni, a tech consultant and entrepreneur, who has been charged with murder in Lee’s killing. According to an anonymous source familiar with the events leading up to the killing, Lee and Momeni were in a car together with a group of friends on the night of the incident. Momeni became upset with Lee, blaming him for someone in the party having consumed too much alcohol.
Lee and Momeni were reportedly part of the same friend group but did not know each other well. The motive for the murder has not been disclosed, and authorities have stated that the case is still under investigation.
Lee’s brother, Tim Lee, expressed gratitude to the San Francisco Police Department for swiftly bringing the suspect to justice, and shared on Facebook that the family is beginning the healing process with support from friends, family, and the community.
Bob Lee was previously the chief technology officer at the payments platform Square, which has since been renamed Block, and he founded Cash App in 2013. He was staying in San Francisco for a few days to spend time with friends after a MobileCoin leadership summit when he was killed, according to his friend Doug Dalton.
Momeni owned a business called Expand IT, which provided tech services for clients in various industries. He was described as a kind and professional gentleman by acquaintances, but there were reports of an odd incident involving a woman screaming his name in the building where he was arrested the night before Lee’s death.
Momeni has had previous legal charges, including driving with a suspended license and selling a switchblade knife in 2011, to which he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to jail time and probation. He was also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in 2004, but the charge was dismissed.
Neighbors and colleagues of Momeni expressed shock and disbelief at the murder charges, describing him as a young man who was eager to learn and had aspirations of running his own business.
As the investigation into the murder of Bob Lee continues, further details may emerge shedding light on the motive and circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.