The case of one of the killers of the family of crypto businessman in the UAE transferred to the court

In St. Petersburg, one of the accused in the murder of a married couple in the UAE in October 2025 will appear in court, the press service of the Investigative Committee reported. According to TASS, we are talking about the murder of crypto businessman Roman Novak and his wife Anna.

The 47-year-old resident of St. Petersburg is accused of murder of two persons committed by an organized group, for hire associated with robbery (p. p. "a, g, h" part 2 of article 105 of the Criminal Code), of robbery committed with the use of items used as weapons, organized by a group on an especially large scale, with causing serious harm to the health of the victim (p. p. "a, b, c" part 4 of article 162 of the Criminal Code) and illegal acquisition and possession of drugs without the purpose of sale in a significant amount (part 1 of article 228 of the Criminal Code).

The accused pleaded guilty and actively participated in the investigation, according to the publication of the IC. The criminal case was sent to the court for consideration on the merits.

The investigation against another perpetrator of the crime is at the final stage. The third defendant died, presumably from illness, in respect of him the investigation was discontinued.

Novak, a native of St. Petersburg, owned fast crypto transfer app Fintopio. He set up a business in 2023 in the UAE. Prior to that, he developed several projects, in particular the crypto wallet Transcrypt and the project “Sport to the People”, dedicated to fitness and proper nutrition.

In November 2020, he was sentenced to six years in prison for fraud. The court found that he had developed a plan to steal $100,000 from a co-owner and investor of the Sport for the People project. In Russia, the businessman also had debts of 7 million rubles.

The bodies of the couple were discovered in the UAE in November 2025. As established by the SK, the accused St. Petersburger last summer, being a member of an organized criminal group, found a friend who, in his opinion, can commit a robbery and murder of a married couple for a reward of at least 10 million rubles.

From unidentified organizers, the defendants received items and means for the attack, which were transported to a villa in the city of Hatta (UAE). In October, the defendants met with the couple in a villa where they were attacked, beaten and tied up. The performers then demanded mobile phones from the spouses to access messengers and digital assets on crypto wallets.

After handing over all the necessary information to the organizers, the defendants, at the direction of the handlers, killed the couple, hid the bodies and left the UAE. As reported by the Russian interior Ministry, the bodies of the couple buried in the desert.

Upon returning to Russia, the performers received a reward, but later all three were detained.