The body of a convicted Russian cryptocurrency fraudster has been discovered in a desert near Dubai, buried together with the remains of his wife. The case has drawn wide attention because of its violent nature and the complex trail of events behind it. The man, Roman Novak, was wanted on multiple fraud-related charges and had been living abroad before his sudden disappearance.
Roman Novak and his wife, Anna, vanished in October after flying to the United Arab Emirates. Friends later said the couple planned to meet unknown potential investors linked to Novak’s crypto business. When days passed without any contact, concern quickly grew. Novak’s criminal history and the large amounts of money connected to him made the silence even more alarming.
A Kidnapping That Turned Deadly
Investigators believe the couple was kidnapped soon after their arrival. They were reportedly tortured as the attackers tried to gain access to Novak’s cryptocurrency wallet.
According to sources, the kidnappers believed Novak had hidden large digital assets. When they found the wallet empty, the ransom plan collapsed, and the violence escalated.
Bodies Hidden Under Concrete
Police in the UAE found the bodies in November at a remote desert site. Russian media later reported that the victims had been dismembered and sealed inside concrete blocks. Authorities kept these details private for months, only revealing them recently. The investigators think the concrete was used to delay discovery and conceal evidence.
Media reports also state that industrial-strength chemicals were poured over the bodies. These substances were allegedly used to speed up decomposition and destroy DNA traces. The Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, citing unnamed sources, described the method as unusually extreme and carefully planned.
Where the Money Went
Komsomolskaya Pravda quoted an unnamed source who claimed Novak’s remaining fortune was likely transferred to the account of the kidnapping gang’s leader. The report suggested the other suspects had little knowledge of cryptocurrencies and depended on one person to control the funds. This financial trail has become a central focus of the investigation.
Life of Crypto Crime
Novak, a 38-year-old native of St. Petersburg, had previously served prison time for fraud. He once lived a luxury lifestyle funded by crypto scams. Although sentenced to six years for stealing 7 million rubles through fake investment schemes, he was released early.
He later escaped to the UAE and started a crypto-exchange app and is reported to have swindled investors up to half a billion dollars.
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