Crime-ridden San Francisco claimed the life of a prominent tech executive after he was found with multiple stab wounds on the Democrat-run city’s hilly streets at 2:30 am in the morning
Bob Lee, who was formerly the Chief Technology Officer of the popular payment service Square and later founded the mobile payment app Cash App, was found by police in the downtown neighborhood of Rincon Hill. The area is adjacent to the Financial District and home to lavish high-rise apartment buildings.
Lee was just 43 years old.
San Francisco police released the identity of Lee and the basic events surrounding his death but also noted that they have not made any arrests nor did they indicate that they have any leads. They have not released any information on a possible suspect yet.
Most recently, Lee appears to have been working since 2021 at tech start-up MobileCoin, a company focused on cryptocurrencies. MobileCoin CEO Joshua Goldbard described Lee as“a force of nature” while speaking to ABC7 after news of his death became publicized.
“Bob was a force of nature. Helped to birth Android and CashApp into our world,” Goldbard continued. “Moby was his dream: a privacy-protecting wallet for the 21st Century. I will miss him every day.”
On the MobileCoin website, a lengthy bio for Lee appears touting his many career successes and positions in the industry. Lee’s bio states, in part:
Bob Lee, former CTO of Square (now Block), has joined MobileCoin as Chief Product Officer. As an early investor in and advisor to the cryptocurrency and digital payments startup, Bob helped shape product and technology strategy. He now oversees the development of MobileCoin’s product portfolio.
Bob has diverse experience building both digital and physical products for a mobile-first world. He is most prominently known as the first CTO of Square, and the creator of Cash App (formerly Square Cash). Prior to Square, Bob was at Google leading Android’s core library team and launching the world’s most used operating system.
Recently, Bob has been exploring a range of technologies and services. He founded the social network Present, which leverages sophisticated location-based technology. He invested in and advised groundbreaking companies like Figma, Clubhouse, Beeper, and Faire. Bob also applied his expertise to the COVID-19 pandemic, from assisting the WHO with their mobile app to leading development for an at-home testing company.
“The traditional financial system leaves behind hundreds of millions of ‘unbanked’ people worldwide and consequently excludes them from the associated benefits,” Lee said during the onboarding process with MobileCoin, hinting at some form of social justice activism that might later have claimed his life. “MobileCoin corrects this injustice with its novel blockchain technology—the first solution worthy of the analogy ‘digital cash,’ as measured by cost, speed, and security.”
“Much like encrypted messengers support free speech, MobileCoin supports free commerce,” Bob continued. “With financial data security more important than ever, developing end-to-end encrypted payment technology isn’t just smart—it’s our responsibility,” Lee continued.
“After closely advising the MobileCoin project this past year, I’m excited to join the team full-time and help actualize key product launches and integrations,” he finished. “Josh has done incredible work growing the company so far—I’m prepared to help MobileCoin reach its full potential.”
Featured image: Facebook, MobileCoin
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