Bodies Of Russian Crypto Entrepreneur Roman Novak & Wife Found In UAE Desert; 3 Held

Dubai (UAE): The bodies of Russian crypto entrepreneur Roman Novak, a figure previously convicted of fraud, and his wife Anna were found on Monday in a remote desert area of the United Arab Emirates, weeks after the couple went missing in early October. The discovery, confirmed by Russian media citing UAE police sources, marks a grim escalation in an international investigation rooted in the volatile world of cryptocurrency and alleged financial crime.

Roman Novak, originally from Saint Petersburg, gained notoriety as the founder of the crypto transfer platform Fintopio, which reportedly attracted significant investment. However, his financial career was marred by controversy; he was convicted of large-scale fraud in Russia in 2020 and served a prison sentence before relocating to Dubai. At the time of his disappearance, Novak was allegedly facing multiple proceedings related to defrauding investors, with some reports claiming up to USD 500 million in missing investments.

According to Russian media outlet 47news, the couple was last seen on October 2, after being dropped off by a driver near a lake in the Hatta area, close to the Omani border. They were reportedly en route to a meeting with potential investors, but instead transferred to a second vehicle and vanished. Investigators now believe the Novaks were lured to a rented villa under the false pretense of a business deal. Russian media reports indicate they were then allegedly tortured for access to their digital crypto wallets before being killed.

The bodies were reportedly recovered following the detention of several suspects, all Russian nationals, who have been apprehended in Russia. Authorities are working across jurisdictions to establish the full circumstances of the double homicide, with some sources suggesting the motive was a ransom or theft plot that went awry when the captors failed to gain access to the couple's digital funds.

The Novaks were reportedly lured to a rented villa in Hatta, UAE, under the pretense of meeting investors. Russian media indicates they were tortured for access to their cryptocurrency wallets before being killed. UAE police discovered the couple's remains in November, leading to the detention of three suspects in Saint Petersburg. Investigators believe 53-year-old Konstantin Shakht was the mastermind, although he denied the charges. Two other suspects have reportedly admitted to the killing.

Published on: Tuesday, December 02, 2025, 08:12 AM IST