Russian cryptocurrency millionaire Roman Novak and his wife Anna, who went missing in the United Arab Emirates about a month ago, have been found dismembered and buried in a desert near Dubai.
The couple was reported missing by relatives in early October after losing contact for several days. They were last seen driving to meet “unidentified investors” at a lake near the Hatta mountain resort in Dubai, UAE.
It was later revealed that the couple was kidnapped, with a ‘large ransom’ demanded, but never paid. The victims were killed one month ago and buried in the desert, according to the Metro.
“The investigation has established that the killers had accomplices who helped organize the abduction,” Svetlana Petrenko of the Russian Investigative Committee said.
“They rented cars and premises where the victims were held by force. After the murder, the perpetrators disposed of the knives and the victims’ personal belongings, leaving them in different emirates.”
The suspects, all Russian citizens, have been detained and are expected to be extradited to Saint Petersburg, the Mirror reported.
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Russian crypto millionaire Roman Novak and his wife Anna Novak. Photo courtesy of Roman’s Instagram |
Mobile phones linked to the couple were detected for several days after their disappearance in Hatta and Oman, and later in Cape Town, South Africa, before the signal completely disappeared on Oct. 4. Anna’s father and stepmother reportedly traveled to Dubai to collect their underage grandchildren after the couple went missing.
Roman and Anna were known for flaunting their luxurious lifestyle on social media, sharing images of luxury cars, private jets, and high-profile connections, including billionaire Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, who has stated he plans to leave a $17.1 billion fortune to his over 100 children.
Roman had a criminal history, having been convicted of fraud in 2020 and sentenced to six years in a general-regime colony. At the time of his disappearance, he was under investigation for allegedly stealing more than £380 million (US$499 million) from crypto investors under the guise of business development. Among the alleged victims were businessmen from China and the Middle East.