Police investigating the murder of CashApp founder Bob Lee utilized a clever strategy by allowing rumors to circulate widely. This tactic was revealed in a groundbreaking new documentary.
The victim, 43-year-old Lee, was fatally stabbed in April 2023 by 40-year-old tech entrepreneur Nima Momeni. It was believed to be a revenge-driven attack related to Momeni’s sister.
On December 17, Momeni was convicted of murder following a two-month trial, and now he faces 16 years in prison.
The decision came over a year and a half after Lee’s body was found under the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, California.
Witnesses saw Lee leaving a late-night party moments before his death as they headed out to a club.
When he was first questioned, Momeni claimed that Lee initiated the attack and ended up dead as Momeni tried to defend himself.
During the course of the investigation, various outlandish theories emerged surrounding Lee’s tragic demise. This event shed light on the murky aspects of the tech sector.
Lee, who had kids with his ex-wife, ran in circles of partying entrepreneurs, which is where he first met Momeni, according to reports.
As salacious stories about his hidden life came to light, detectives kept quiet about what they actually thought.
The leading theory was that Lee was murdered in a robbery as his body was found in a remote crime-ridden neighborhood.
San Francisco Police Sergeant Brent Dittmer and his team suspected early on that Bob Lee’s killer wasn’t after money, but they chose to stay silent to avoid tipping off the suspect.
“Let everybody think this is whatever’s on Twitter at that time,” Dittmer told NBC News. “We’ll work on what actually happened.”
He called the swirling misinformation a strategic advantage, adding, “If that’s the story people are gonna run with, that works for us because the people responsible, we don’t want them to know what we know.”
Lee’s former wife, Krista Lee, was also unconvinced by the robbery theory.
She described him as someone who would have given away everything to avoid harm.
“Had Bob been approached by someone trying to mug him, he would’ve handed them his wallet, his keys, his clothes—anything,” she said.
“He would’ve said, ‘Hey, man, let me buy you a meal. Please don’t hurt me.”
BOB LEE MURDER TIMELINE
APRIL 4, 2O23
- At 2:35 a.m. on April 4, 2023, Bob Lee, 43, is fatally stabbed outside a luxury high-rise apartment on the 300 block of Main St, near Rincon Hill and the Bay Bridge, according to police.
- Shortly after 2:35 am, medics arrive at the scene to assist Bob Lee.
- He is rushed to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries but is declared dead shortly after arrival.
APRIL 6, 2023
- Disturbing surveillance footage is released that captured Lee’s final moments.
- The video shows the critically injured tech executive staggering towards a nearby car, desperately leaning over the hood as he appears to plead for help.
- The motorist drives off, leaving Lee alone in his dying moments.
APRIL 13, 2023
- Nine days later, San Francisco police arrest tech entrepreneur Nima Momeni in connection with the murder.
- He is booked into a San Francisco jail on a single charge of murder.
APRIL 14, 2023
- Momeni makes his first court appearance.
OCTOBER 14, 2024
- Momeni’s trial in Bob Lee’s murder begins.
- The prosecution argues that Momeni killed Lee in a premeditated attack, motivated by anger over Lee’s involvement with Momeni’s sister, Khazar Elyassnia, and her alleged drug use.
- The defense hit back that Momeni acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Lee.
DECEMBER 17, 2024
- After seven days of deliberations, the jury returned a unanimous verdict, convicting Momeni of second-degree murder.
- Momeni faces up to 16 years to life in prison.
LUNGE & KILL
During the six-week trial, a grainy surveillance video revealed the chilling moment Momeni attacked Lee under San Francisco’s Bay Bridge in the early hours of April 4.
The footage, which showed Momeni cornering Lee near a fence, captured the deadly confrontation but didn’t clearly display the stabbing itself.
Prosecutors highlighted Momeni’s aggressive movements, pressing the point that it took place at the exact location where the murder weapon was later found.
In a startling twist, another video surfaced showing Momeni reenacting the stabbing days after the murder.
Under surveillance by police, Momeni was recorded outside his defense attorney’s office, mimicking stabbing motions with his arms.
Prosecutors argued that his movements mirrored the puncture wounds discovered on Lee’s body, drawing a direct line between the reenactment and the fatal attack.
DEATH IN SILICON VALLEY
After the stabbing, Lee managed to stagger to Rincon Hill, where he called 911, barely able to speak, and collapsed in agony as he begged for help.
Despite being rushed to the hospital, Lee died during surgery.
At the time of his death, Lee was a key player in the tech world, serving as chief product officer at MobileCoin, a leading cryptocurrency platform, with a career that included stints at Square and SpaceX.
He started as a software engineer and was lovingly known as “Crazy Bob” for his high-energy attitude.
WHY DID MOMENI KILL LEE?
Momeni’s motive for murdering Bob Lee stemmed from a personal vendetta involving his sister, Khazar Elyassnia.
Elyassnia allegedly became the target of a horrific assault after Lee introduced her to a drug dealer, Jeremy Boivin.
Prosecutors argued that Boivin drugged her with GHB and sexually assaulted her, a claim that sent Momeni into a vengeful frenzy.
Momeni, enraged by what he believed Lee had done, confronted him.
In a fit of rage, Momeni stabbed Lee multiple times, ultimately killing him.
However, Elyassnia herself contradicted these claims, denying any sexual assault.
Despite this, Momeni’s actions, fueled by his belief that Lee had wronged his sister, led to a tragic and fatal outcome.
Momeni now faces a sentence ranging from 16 years to life in prison.
Momeni is scheduled to return to court this Friday for a hearing to determine his sentencing date.
The 2023 murder of Cash App founder Bob Lee, which shocked the San Francisco community, will be the focus of an upcoming NBC Dateline episode airing tonight, February 7.
