Convicted Russian Crypto Scammer and Wife Murdered in UAE Kidnapping Plot

Roman Novak, a convicted Russian crypto fraudster, and his wife Anna were abducted and murdered in the United Arab Emirates after a ransom plot targeting his cryptocurrency holdings went awry. The couple was lured to a meeting near Hatta on October 2, 2025, under false pretenses of an investor discussion, where they switched vehicles and disappeared.

Kidnappers tortured the Novaks using knives in an attempt to force access to substantial crypto funds, reportedly held in wallets linked to Novak's Fintopio app and prior fraud schemes. When they failed to secure the money, the couple was killed, and their bodies were dismembered and left in containers near a Hatta shopping center.

Russian and UAE authorities have arrested seven suspects, including Konstantin Shakht, a former police officer, and others from St. Petersburg and Kazakhstan. The motive was confirmed as cryptocurrency extortion by Irina Volk, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, who stated, "the suspects kidnapped a man and his wife with the aim of extorting cryptocurrency."

Novak had a history of fraud, being sentenced to six years in prison in 2020 for embezzling $4 million through the Transcrypt crypto exchange software. He later allegedly misappropriated up to $500 million from investors in the Middle East and China for his Fintopio venture. The incident highlights the dangers of crypto-related crime, with security experts warning against flaunting digital wealth.