Brutal Murder of Russian Crypto Millionaire: Roman Novak and Wife Tortured Before Death in UAE Desert

Police became aware of the case when Roman's family reported them as missing persons.

Disturbing new information has emerged regarding the murder of Russian cryptocurrency millionaire Roman Novak and his wife, Ana, detailing their torture before being killed in the UAE last month.

The couple was dismembered and encased in concrete at an isolated desert location in Dubai after a failed ransom scheme. According to a Russian newspaper cited by The Week, they were allegedly forced to witness each other being tortured before being stabbed to death.

The latest investigation findings revealed that the couple had arranged to meet three unidentified Russian investors in early October near a lake in Hatta, a mountain resort area in Dubai. Under the pretense of an investment meeting, they were enticed to a rented villa by the suspects.

The suspects demanded access to their cryptocurrency assets. When the couple was unable to comply, the suspects fatally stabbed them. Subsequently, the attackers dismembered their bodies and placed the parts into polythene bags.

They utilized industrial-strength chemical solvents to accelerate decomposition, attempting to destroy DNA evidence and complicate body identification by authorities.

"The couple was tortured, forced to hand over the keys to their cryptocurrency wallets. Interestingly, the extortion trio ended up without any money—law enforcement officers found no treasure on them. Besides, they understand nothing about cryptocurrency. It's likely that all of Novak's wealth, if any, was transferred to the account of the mastermind behind the crime," the Russian daily reported.

Authorities learned about the disappearance when Roman's family filed a missing persons report. The couple's private driver informed Russia's Investigative Committee that he last dropped them off on October 2 in Hatta. Following this, Roman Novak and Ana reportedly entered another vehicle with these "investors" and were never seen again.

Reportedly, seven individuals were involved in the crime, with three identified as primary suspects and the remaining four serving as intermediaries who assisted in planning the operation. Of these seven, six suspects have already been apprehended in Russia.

Two of the three murder suspects originate from St. Petersburg, while the third is from Kazakhstan.

Roman Novak had been convicted of large-scale fraud in Russia in 2020. He received a six-year prison sentence but was released early. Roman subsequently relocated with Ana to the UAE and launched a new cryptocurrency application called Fintopio, which reportedly raised $500 million from investors across Russia, China, and the Middle East, according to The Week report.

However, after collecting all this investment, the company abruptly ceased operations, causing financial losses to numerous investors.