In a case of shocking brutality, a controversial Russian cryptocurrency entrepreneur and his wife were allegedly tortured to death, dismembered, and their remains encased in concrete before being dumped in a desert near Dubai.
A Grisly Discovery in the Desert
Roman Novak, 38, and his wife Anna, 37, vanished on October 2 after reportedly being lured to the Hatta resort area, approximately 80 miles from Dubai. The couple were supposedly meeting individuals posing as potential investors. Their disappearance triggered a search, and more than a month later, their mutilated bodies were discovered buried in a desert area close to the Omani border.
Russian investigators have since pieced together a horrifying sequence of events. According to their reports, the couple were kidnapped and held captive. In a particularly cruel twist, the captors are said to have forced Roman and Anna to watch each other being tortured as part of a sustained effort to extort access to their cryptocurrency fortune.
The Empty Wallets and a Brutal End
The investigation indicates that the couple eventually surrendered the codes to their digital wallets under extreme duress. However, in a fateful turn, the wallets were found to be empty. This discovery is believed to have directly led to their murders.
After their deaths, the perpetrators took extensive steps to conceal the crime. Local media report that the bodies were placed inside thick polyethylene bags and doused with powerful chemicals. This was likely an attempt to accelerate decomposition and destroy forensic evidence. The remains were then encased in concrete and buried in the remote desert location.
Arrests and Motives Behind the Cryptocurrency Murder
The couple are believed to have been targeted due to Roman Novak's involvement in the crypto app Fintopio. He is alleged to have raised around £380 million in investment for the platform, which facilitated rapid crypto transfers, but was later accused of defrauding his backers. It is thought the kidnappers were attempting to seize these funds.
Following an international investigation, three Russian men were arrested in St Petersburg after returning from the United Arab Emirates. They have been named as Konstantin Shakht, 53, a former police officer, Yury Sharypov, and Vladimir Dalekin.
Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for the Russian Investigative Committee, stated: "The investigation has established that the killers had accomplices who helped organise the abduction. They rented cars and premises where the two victims were held by force."
Sharypov and Dalekin have entered guilty pleas, while Shakht denies the charges. All three defendants remain in custody as the legal process continues.
