Russian crypto millionaire, wife abducted, dismembered in extortion plot: Who were Roman Novak and Anna?

A 38-year-old Russian crypto millionaire, roman letters Novak, and his married woman Anna were reportedly kidnapped and killed in Dubai after being lured to a mountain resort for a meeting with ‘investors’ in early October. The couple were reported missing after their relatives could not get in touch with them for several days.

Notably, Novak was a convicted fraudster who had raised $500 million through a fake cryptocurrency app and later fled with the investors’ funds. The couple often flaunted their lavish lifestyle in Dubai, sharing photos online featuring expensive cars and private jets, Russian media outlet Komsomolskaya Pravda reported.

The Russian couple, originally from St Petersburg, were known for their luxurious lifestyle. They were also reported to have close connections with several high-profile individuals, including Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of the Telegram social media platform.

Roman created a platform called Fintopio, which claimed to offer quick cryptocurrency transfers and partnerships with major technology companies. The platform also attracted investors from Russia, China and the Middle East.

However, in November 2020, he was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to six years in a St Petersburg prison for cheating his partners in investment and crypto ventures, according to The Moscow Times. After his release in 2023, he left Russia and continued seeking investors for new projects.

According to reports, officials said Roman and Anna were being “extorted” for their cryptocurrency holdings. The pair were last seen on October 2, heading to meet “unidentified investors.”

When their relatives were unable to reach them, they contacted the police. The Russian couple’s mobile phones were traced to Hatta and Oman, and later to Cape Town in South Africa, before the signals disappeared entirely on October 4.

They had two children, who were taken to St Petersburg by their grandparents.

On their way to meet the “investors,” the couple’s driver dropped them near a lake in the Hatta area, close to the Oman border, for what was said to be a meeting with potential investors. They then got into another car and were never seen again.

According to the Russian outlet Fontanka, the two were tricked into going to a rented villa on the promise of the meeting, where they were attacked and killed after refusing to hand over access to their cryptocurrency assets.

Their dismembered bodies were later found on October 3 near the city of Fujairah, and some remains were reportedly discovered in rubbish bins at a shopping mall.

“According to preliminary information, Novak and his wife were kidnapped for ransom. When the criminals realised they wouldn’t get the money, they killed both of them,” a source told Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Eight Russian nationals are suspected of involvement, including three who allegedly organised the crime and five hired intermediaries, according to reports. Seven of them have reportedly been detained in Russia, and investigators are working with UAE authorities to obtain full details of the case.

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