A millionaire cryptocurrency fraudster and his wife endured a final, brutal ordeal of kidnap and torture in the United Arab Emirates, leaving their two young children orphaned.
A Lavish Life in Dubai Ends in Tragedy
Roman Novak, 38, and his 37-year-old wife Anna, who had relocated to Dubai after he served a prison sentence in Russia, were reported missing in October. The couple, known for flaunting a life of private jets, luxury yachts and fast cars on social media, were lured to a rented villa in Hatta, about 80 miles from Dubai. The pretext was a meeting with wealthy potential investors.
According to Russian law enforcement, the pair were victims of an extortion plot designed to access Roman's cryptocurrency accounts. Upon arrival at the villa, they were allegedly tortured side-by-side as their captors demanded the passwords to his crypto wallets. Shockingly, when the codes were finally handed over, the wallets were found to be empty.
The Chilling Final Hours and a Desert Burial
In their final hours, the couple managed to send desperate messages to friends, claiming they were 'stuck in the mountains on the Oman border' and urgently needed £152,000. Contact was then lost. Investigators say signals from their mobile phones were later detected in South Africa in a likely 'smokescreen' to confuse the investigation.
Russian media outlet Fontanka reports that after failing to obtain cryptocurrency or raise a ransom, the captors killed Roman and Anna, dismembered their bodies and attempted to destroy DNA evidence with chemical solvents. Their remains were discovered wrapped in thick plastic bags, buried in concrete in a remote desert area of the UAE. Emirati police found blood evidence, a cache of knives and a discarded T-shirt at the crime scene.
Orphaned Children and Arrests Made
The horrific crime has left the couple's two young children without parents. Anna's father and stepmother flew to Dubai to retrieve the children following the disappearance. The couple's bodies are due to be repatriated to Russia.
In connection with the double murder, three people have been arrested in Saint Petersburg. Among them is 53-year-old former police officer Konstantin Shakht, who investigators believe arranged the hit. Two suspects have reportedly confessed to the killing, while Shakht denies the charges.
Roman Novak was the founder of Fintopio, a cryptocurrency transfer platform that attracted around $500 million in investment after its 2023 launch before abruptly closing in October, locking users out of their funds.
