Overview
- Roman and Anna Novak were lured to Hatta near the Oman border on October 2 for a supposed investor meeting, and he sent a final message asking for £152,000 before contact stopped.
- Investigators traced the couple’s phones from Hatta to Oman and then to Cape Town and believe the devices were switched on in different places to mislead trackers.
- Their dismembered remains were discovered buried near Fujairah, and authorities found blood traces and weapons in a rented villa believed to be the crime scene.
- Russian authorities have detained multiple suspects, including two soldiers and a former police commissioner, who are in pretrial custody and reportedly deny involvement.
- Novak is reported as the founder of the Fintopio platform that raised large sums from investors, with Russian media citing a prior fraud conviction, while UAE and Russian probes continue and the couple’s children are with relatives.