Crypto Millionaire and Wife Found Brutally Murdered in the Desert

Authorities in Dubai have uncovered the dismembered bodies of a Russian crypto millionaire and his wife in the desert, following what investigators believe was a brutal kidnapping and ransom plot gone wrong.

Roman Novak, 38, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, and his wife Anna, 37, a former TV reporter, had been living a glamorous life in Dubai, often sharing images of private jets and luxury cars on social media. But their high-profile lifestyle appears to have made them targets.

The couple disappeared last month after driving out to meet supposed “investors” in Hatta, a mountainous area near the border with Oman. According to investigators, they were lured there under the guise of a business deal that turned into a deadly trap.

Authorities believe the couple was kidnapped, held for ransom, and ultimately killed and dismembered when the kidnappers’ demand for payment was not met. Their remains were later found buried in the desert.

Russian investigators have identified three suspects — all Russian nationals — who were arrested after returning home from the United Arab Emirates. The men include 53-year-old former homicide detective Konstantin Shakht, now accused of drug trafficking, and two ex-soldiers, Yury Sharypov, 46, and Vladimir Dalekin, 45, who reportedly fought in the Russia-Ukraine war.

According to Russian news outlet Fontanka, the suspects were posing as investors and tried to force Roman to hand over the password to his cryptocurrency wallet. However, when they accessed it, they discovered it was empty. Investigators believe the couple was killed soon after.

Officials from the Russian Investigative Committee say the suspects had help planning the abduction. Accomplices allegedly rented vehicles and properties used to hold the victims captive. After the murders, the attackers disposed of the weapons and personal belongings in multiple Emirates to cover their tracks.

Law enforcement from both Russia and the UAE worked together to track the suspects. Forensic teams in Dubai reportedly found blood evidence from Anna Novak inside a villa in Hatta, along with knives and a bloodstained T-shirt linked to one of the alleged killers.

The Novaks leave behind young children, who have since been placed in the care of relatives.

The case has taken an even darker turn as Russian media report that Roman Novak himself was under investigation for allegedly defrauding crypto investors out of nearly $480 million. He was accused of running a crypto investment network through an app built by Ukrainian developers and had previously served time for embezzlement in Russia.

One local paper described Novak as a “talented manipulator” who lived like a high-rolling Arab sheikh but built his fortune through deception.