The killing of Russian cryptocurrency investor Roman Novak and his wife, Anna, has drawn international attention for its brutality and the complex financial disputes surrounding it. The couple’s dismembered remains were found in the desert near Hatta, southeast of Dubai, after they disappeared following what was believed to be a business meeting with potential investors.
Novak had risen to prominence in the crypto world as the founder of Fintopio, a platform that promoted itself as a breakthrough system for fast, cross-border digital transactions. He cultivated an image of a forward-thinking entrepreneur, attracting investors from Russia, China, and the Middle East and raising hundreds of millions of dollars. Yet, Novak’s success was shadowed by his past. In 2020, he was convicted in St. Petersburg for large-scale fraud linked to investment schemes and was sentenced to six years in prison. Released early in 2023, he relocated to Dubai and resumed his crypto activities. Reports later suggested that Fintopio may have been connected to another extensive financial scam, causing disputes and hostility among former partners and investors.
On October 2, 2025, the Novaks traveled to Hatta for what was framed as a new investment meeting. Investigators say they were instead taken to a rented villa and held captive while kidnappers attempted to force Novak to release access to cryptocurrency wallets believed to hold stolen funds. When the demands failed, the couple was killed.
Authorities have detained seven suspects, including former law enforcement figures and military veterans, who allegedly orchestrated the abduction in an attempt to reclaim lost investments. The investigation remains ongoing.
