A couple involved in cryptocurrency activities has been found dead after being buried in concrete in the desert following a gruesome ordeal of torture and murder. The victims, Roman Novak, 38, and Anna Novak, 37, originally from Saint Petersburg, were reported missing in October and later discovered in plastic bags in a remote desert area in the UAE.
Roman Novak, the founder of Fintopio, a cryptocurrency transfer platform that attracted significant investment, mysteriously closed operations in October, leaving users without access to their funds. Many Fintopio users, located internationally, were affected by this sudden closure.
The bodies of Roman and Anna were found intact, wrapped in plastic bags and encased in concrete, with attempts made to erase DNA evidence using chemical solvents. It is believed that the couple was lured to a villa in Hatta, UAE, under false pretenses of meeting potential investors, where they were tortured for their crypto assets and ultimately killed.
Following their disappearance, signals from the couple’s mobile phones were detected in different locations, possibly as a diversion tactic. Three individuals have been arrested in Saint Petersburg in connection with the murders, with suspicions pointing to a former police officer as the orchestrator of the crime. While two suspects have confessed, the main suspect denies any involvement.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, Anna’s father and stepmother have traveled to Dubai to care for the couple’s children, and arrangements are being made to repatriate the victims’ bodies to Russia.