Nima Momeni, a 40-year-old technology consultant, was found guilty on Tuesday of the murder of Bob Lee, the founder of the Cash App application, during his trial in San Francisco in the United States. Although Nima Momeni escaped conviction for premeditated murder, he faces life imprisonment.
The tragedy dates back to April 4, 2023, when Bob Lee was found seriously injured in a deserted street in the city center around 3 a.m., after having been stabbed several times. Despite being transferred to hospital, the Silicon Valley executive did not survive his injuries. His brutal death immediately sparked a national debate about security in the Californian city.
Wide media coverage
The affair gained considerable media attention, fueled by influential figures in tech, notably Elon Musk. The Tesla boss reacted strongly to X, denouncing the violence in San Francisco. “Violent crime in San Francisco is horrific and even when perpetrators are caught, they are often released immediately,” he wrote. He then challenged the city attorney, Brooke Jenkins, by asking: “Is the city taking stronger measures to incarcerate repeat violent offenders? »
Other figures, such as investor David Sacks, had also pointed the finger at the management of crime, suggesting that the death of Bob Lee could be akin to an attack committed by a psychotic homeless man, as had been produced in Los Angeles.
The accused pleads self-defense
During the six-week trial, which was held in the middle of the Luigi Mangione affair, jurors discovered that Nima Momeni knew Bob Lee. The motive for the murder was based on personal tensions. Momeni accused Bob Lee of introducing her sister to a drug trafficker who, according to her, supplied her with GHB and other substances before sexually assaulting her.
According to the prosecution, Nima Momeni planned the attack and premeditated to stab Bob Lee. The defense, for its part, pleaded self-defense. The defendant said Bob Lee first attacked him with a knife after an argument. He claimed not to have appreciated the seriousness of the injuries he had inflicted on him, according to information reported by CNN.
