Russian citizen Roman Novak, known as crypto-millionaire previously convicted of multi-million fraud, he was killed in the United Arab Emirates together with his wife Ana Novak.
Their bodies were found dismembered in containers near a shopping center in the town of Hatta, on the border of the UAE and Oman, reports CryptoSlate.
According to local and Russian media, the couple was the victim of a kidnapping and extortion attempt aimed at taking control of his cryptocurrency assets.
Roman Novak, who was known in Russia for running multiple crypto-projects linked to defrauding investors, moved to Dubai after being sentenced to six years in prison in 2020.
In the UAE, he launched a new platform, Fintopio, through which, according to sources, he raised hundreds of millions of dollars from investors.
In early October of this year, Novak and his wife were invited to a meeting with alleged investors near the border with Oman. After changing the vehicle and firing the driver, they disappeared without a trace.
Their family reported them missing, and Russian and Emirati authorities launched an investigation that soon uncovered clues to the abduction.
According to the investigation, the couple was lured to the rented villa under the false pretense of a business deal.
Hijackers tried to take over crypto assets
The kidnappers are believed to have tried to force Novak to give them access to digital wallets in which he held significant cryptocurrency assets. When they failed, they killed him and his wife.
Their bodies were found a few days later, dismembered and dumped in dumpsters near the Hatta shopping center.
Seven suspects arrested
The authorities soon arrested seven people suspected of participating in the kidnapping and murder, including citizens of Russia and Kazakhstan. The suspects face charges of murder, kidnapping and financial crimes.
The family of murdered Ana Novak arrived in Dubai to take care of the couple’s minor children.
This case once again points to the dark side of the crypto-industry, where large sums of digital money attract criminal groups and increase the risk of physical attacks.
Security experts warn of the so-called “wrench attacks” – situations where cryptocurrency holders are physically attacked or blackmailed to reveal access keys with their digital assets.
“Showing off your personal wealth on social media while holding significant amounts of cryptocurrency is one of the most dangerous things you can do,” digital security expert Jameson Lopp told CryptoSlate.
Following this case, Russian and international authorities announced increased surveillance measures and cooperation in the fight against cross-border crypto-fraud and crime related to digital assets.
(Vijesti.ba)
