Russian Entrepreneur and Wife Found Dead in UAE Amid Cryptocurrency Scandal

According to PANews, Russian businessman Roman Novak and his wife Anna were kidnapped and killed in the United Arab Emirates. Roman Novak was previously convicted of defrauding investors of millions through various cryptocurrency projects and sentenced to six years in prison in 2020. After his release, he moved to Dubai and launched a cryptocurrency application called Fintopio, reportedly raising hundreds of millions from new investors. In early October, Roman Novak and his wife traveled near Hatta, close to the UAE-Oman border, for what appeared to be a promising investor meeting. However, they switched vehicles and subsequently disappeared. After several days without contact, Roman Novak's relatives reported them missing. Russian and UAE authorities initiated an investigation, suspecting the couple was lured under false pretenses to a rented villa, where the business meeting turned into a kidnapping for ransom. The kidnappers attempted to force Roman Novak to hand over substantial cryptocurrency funds, allegedly stored in wallets and accounts linked to his application and previous fraudulent activities. When the attempt failed, the tragedy unfolded, resulting in the deaths of Roman Novak and his wife.