A San Francisco jury has found tech consultant Nima Momeni guilty of second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of Cash App founder Bob Lee, concluding a high-profile trial that captivated the tech community.

After seven days of deliberation, the jury delivered their verdict on Tuesday, rejecting the first-degree murder charge but finding Momeni, 40, guilty of the lesser charge. He now faces 16 years to life in prison for the April 4, 2023 killing.

Prosecutors successfully argued that Momeni stabbed Lee, 43, three times near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge after confronting him about introducing his sister, Khazar Momeni, to a drug dealer who allegedly gave her GHB and sexually assaulted her. Surveillance footage showed the two men leaving Khazar's condo around 2 a.m. in Momeni's BMW before the fatal encounter.

Lee, who was serving as chief product officer of cryptocurrency platform MobileCoin at the time of his death, was found staggering on a deserted downtown San Francisco street at 2:30 a.m., desperately calling 911 for help. He later died at a hospital.

During the trial, Momeni claimed self-defense, testifying that Lee attacked him with a knife after he made a 'bad joke' about spending time with family instead of at strip clubs. However, prosecutors presented evidence showing Lee's DNA on the blade and Momeni's DNA on the handle of the kitchen knife used in the stabbing.

The case initially sparked debate about crime in San Francisco when it first made headlines, but investigators quickly determined it stemmed from a personal dispute rather than random violence. Lee was remembered by colleagues as a brilliant and generous tech innovator who helped create the widely-used Cash App payment service.

The six-week trial featured emotional testimony from family members of both men, including Lee's ex-wife and children, as well as Momeni's sister. The verdict brings closure to a case that highlighted the intersection of the tech world, personal relationships, and violence in San Francisco.