Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have located the bodies of Russian crypto investor Roman Novak and his wife Anna, who were killed in October.
According to Russian media 47news on December 1, the remains were buried in thick plastic bags in a remote desert area and were discovered following the detention of several suspects linked to the double homicide.
Citing information from UAE police, 47news reports that the bodies were located within a 500-by-500-meter area of desert, based on testimony provided by individuals arrested in connection with the case.
The couple’s bodies were intact, placed in polyethylene bags, and covered with chemical solvents. The discovery has prompted the initiation of the formal process to repatriate the bodies to Russia for burial.
Roman Novak, originally from Saint Petersburg, was the founder of Fintopio, a platform for rapid cryptocurrency transfers.
He reportedly raised up to $500 million in investments before disappearing, according to 47news. In 2020, Novak had been sentenced in Russia to six years in prison for fraud, and multiple enforcement proceedings were pending against him at the time of his death.
According to 47news, the Novaks were lured to a rented villa in the Emirati city of Hatta under the pretense of meeting potential investors. There, they were tortured for access to their crypto wallets and subsequently killed. The UAE police reportedly discovered their remains in November, though confirmation was issued only recently.
As noted by 47news, three individuals were detained in Saint Petersburg on suspicion of involvement, including 53-year-old Konstantin Shakht, believed by investigators to be the organizer. Two of the suspects admitted to the killing, while Shakht denied all charges.
Earlier, United24 Media reported that Roman Starovoit, Russia’s former transport minister, was found dead near Moscow shortly after his dismissal—raising questions over a possible cover-up tied to embezzlement investigations.
