Suspect in tech superstar's murder was a knife hoarder and 'super into weapons'

14 April 2023 , 15:45

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Suspect in tech superstar's murder was a knife hoarder and 'super into weapons'

The suspect in the stabbing death of Cash App founder and tech superstar Bob Lee is a knife hoarder and "super into weapons", it is claimed.

Nima Momeni, 38, from California, US, has been arrested in connection with the tech mogul's murder and faces up to 26 years to life in prison if convicted.

Dad-of-two Mr Lee was found with stab wounds on April 4 in the early hours near San Francisco's city centre.

According to police, the pair were reportedly seen in a car together at around 2.30am on the night he died.

But just minutes later, officers were called to Main Street in the city where they found the tech mogul bleeding out.

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Mr Lee reportedly staggered out of the car as harrowing CCTV footage showed him struggling to walk along an empty San Francisco street.

Nima Momeni has been charged in connection to Bob Lee's murder (LinkedIn)

In distressing footage, he stumbles through the streets and is seen on the phone to 911 when a bystander saw him and drove off - despite the dad pleading with the driver for help.

He begged the driver: "Help. Someone stabbed me.”

Mr Lee fell to the ground before emergency services arrived to the scene where they found him bleeding.

The dad was rushed to hospital but tragically died from his wounds later that morning.

Who is Nina Momeni?

The 38-year-old is a graduate of University of California and the owner of information technology consulting company Expand IT, which he started in April 2010.

He had previously worked as a consultant and systems engineer with multiple San Francisco-based companies, including Marfic and Coast Range Technologies.

The suspect lives in the Bay Area city of Emeryville, California.

He was previously charged in Alameda County for allegedly selling a switchblade in California and for driving with a suspended licence.

Bob Lee was found stabbed in the early hours

Mr Momeni was also caught drink driving in 2004.

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The tech chief pleaded no contest to the suspended licence charge the following year and the knife charge was dropped.

He was sentenced to 10 days in jail as well as three years of probation, fined $900 (£700) and ordered to destroy the knife.

One neighbour told the Daily Beast he was reportedly “super into weapons” and had a collection at home.

What happened on the night?

The tech mogul was on a quick trip to the Californian city for a tech conference.

It has not been confirmed whether the suspect was at the same event as Mr Lee.

However, according to police, the pair had driven together through downtown San Francisco just hours before Mr Lee was killed.

Tributes to the tech chief outside the building where he was found in San Francisco (AP)

They reportedly had an altercation in the car just minutes before he was stabbed in the chest.

Police allege Mr Momeni stabbed Mr Lee multiple times with a knife that was recovered not far from the spot where he was found.

How did they know each other?

Police confirmed Mr Momeni knew the tech mogul but it remains unclear how.

According to ABC7, Mr Momeni’s sister’s home in San Francisco’s Millennium Tower was one of three places where offices searched on Thursday morning.

The two may have known each other through Mr Momeni’s sister who he had recently gotten to know, reports have suggested.

Mr Lee and the suspect were reportedly in a car together on the night he was stabbed

Former colleague Akash Sawhney, who met the suspect in 2015 while working for a startup company, is shocked at his arrest.

She said: "It didn’t seem in character with what he’s accused of doing — at least in my interactions with him. I didn’t see any signs of anger, any red flags — at that point.”

Police told Mission Local they believe the murder was “neither a robbery attempt nor a random attack."

The suspect will appear in court later today and will be detained without bail, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins confirmed in a press conference.

Liam Buckler