DUBAI – The bodies of Russian cryptocurrency millionaire Roman Novak and his wife, Anna, have been found dismembered and buried in a desert area near Dubai, a month after they were reported missing in the United Arab Emirates.
The couple were reported missing in early October after losing contact with family and friends for several days.
They were last seen heading to a lake near the Hatta mountain resort to meet an ‘unknown investor’.
Russian Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said investigators discovered that the killers had accomplices who helped plan the abduction.
“They rented vehicles and premises to detain the victims by force. After the murders, the suspects disposed of the weapons and the victims’ personal belongings in several areas across the United Arab Emirates,” she said.
All the suspects, identified as Russian nationals, were arrested and were expected to be extradited to Saint Petersburg.
The couple’s mobile phones were detected in Hatta and Oman a few days after their disappearance, then later in Cape Town, South Africa, before the signal was lost entirely on Oct 4.
Anna’s father and stepmother reportedly travelled to Dubai to care for the couple’s underage child.
Roman and Anna were known for showcasing their luxurious lifestyle on social media, featuring private jets, high-end cars and connections with prominent figures including Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
Roman also had a criminal record, including a 2020 fraud conviction that resulted in a six-year prison sentence.
At the time of his disappearance, he was under investigation for allegedly defrauding cryptocurrency investors of more than US$499 million (RM1.79 billion), with victims believed to include businesspeople from China and the Middle East. - Agency