A Russian couple claiming to be cryptocurrency millionaires were kidnapped and murdered in Dubai after failing to raise sufficient ransom money, with their dismembered bodies discovered buried in the desert.
Roman Novak, 38, and his wife Anna were lured to a meeting with supposed "investors" in the Hatta mountain resort area last month. The couple, known for flaunting their luxury lifestyle including private jets and expensive cars on social media, were allegedly targeted for their wealth.
Novak's final message to a friend stated he was "stuck in the mountains near the Omani border" and urgently needed £152,000 in cash. Their signals were later traced through Hatta, Oman and South Africa before disappearing in early October.
Three Russian suspects - including a former homicide detective and two military veterans - have been arrested in Russia. Authorities believe the kidnappers attempted to force Novak to reveal his cryptocurrency wallet passwords but killed the couple when they discovered the wallet was empty and couldn't raise the ransom.
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Dubai police found the dismembered bodies in the desert along with bloodstains, knives and a suspect's T-shirt. The three main suspects had posed as investors and fled to Russia after the murder.
Russian media reported Novak was under investigation for allegedly misappropriating over £38 million in cryptocurrency funds. The couple's children are now being cared for by Anna's parents.
