Dubai police have detained Israeli private investigator Michael Greenberg as part of a widening case tied to the deaths of Russian crypto figure Roman Novak and his wife, Anna Novak. Reports say the couple vanished after a trip to the Hatta area in early October 2025 and were later found dead in the United Arab Emirates. Russian investigators say several people helped set up the abduction and move evidence across different emirates.
Greenberg is best known as the founder of Bangkok-based Mike Green Private Investigation, a firm that has operated in Thailand for more than two decades. According to reporting from Intelligence Online and Israeli media, Emirati special forces arrested him during a raid in Dubai. After his detention, contact with him stopped for a period, which raised concern among relatives. Israeli sources later said they received confirmation that he was being held, but UAE authorities have not publicly detailed the charges or shared the status of any court process.
Investigators have not accused Greenberg of carrying out the killings. Instead, reports say authorities suspect he had links to people involved. Russian investigators have said phone evidence from suspects helped push the case forward, and some of that data reportedly pointed toward Greenberg. Other private investigators working in Dubai were also questioned or detained in related sweeps, based on the same reporting.
The case centers on Novak’s past in the crypto world. Russian authorities convicted him in 2020 in a fraud case tied to a crypto-related scheme that involved about $100,000. After he received parole, he moved to the UAE in 2023 and worked the investor circuit again. Business contacts later alleged he raised large sums for a fast crypto transfer app called Fintopio, then disappeared with investor money. Some reports put the claimed amount at about $500 million, though that figure remains an allegation rather than a confirmed court finding.
Russian investigators say Roman Novak and Anna Novak were lured to Hatta under the promise of meeting investors. The driver who brought them to a parking area near a lake on October 2 said the couple switched into another vehicle and did not return. The Investigative Committee later said a group abducted the couple and tried to force access to crypto wallets. Several suspects were arrested in Russia, including Russian citizens and a Kazakh citizen, according to reporting that cited official statements. Some suspects reportedly admitted involvement while another denied it.
The Novak case also drew attention because it sits at the crossroads of crypto fraud, private security, and cross-border crime. In Dubai, money moves fast and global networks mix. People who sell investment deals, run “recovery” services, or offer private investigations can overlap in the same circles. That overlap matters when a case turns into an international hunt for accomplices, phones, and money trails.
Greenberg has faced scrutiny before. In Thailand, he was linked in past reporting to a 2021 kidnapping plot tied to a failed business deal involving gloves. Thai police arrested several suspects, including two former U.S. Marines and a Thai citizen, and some reports said Greenberg helped plan the operation. Other outlets reported that authorities could not locate him at the time. Greenberg has not been convicted in that matter in the public reporting, but the episode added to his profile in the private investigation world.
While investigators chase suspects, traders keep watching the crypto market, and the price action has stayed focused on bigger forces than one crime story. A recent Bitcoin price chart shows tight but choppy movement, with clear swings that match risk mood and liquidity. Data from mid-February 2026 shows Bitcoin moving from the mid-$60,000s up toward the low-$70,000s, then pulling back. On February 15, Bitcoin traded roughly between about $68,000 and $71,000 before closing near $68,800. Volume on that day was higher than some nearby sessions, suggesting active selling into rallies and steady demand near support. Earlier in the week, volume was even stronger as price dipped, which often signals forced exits and fast repositioning. After that spike, volume eased as Bitcoin drifted back into a range, a common sign that traders are waiting for the next catalyst.
This pattern fits the broader 2026 tape. Reports this week described Bitcoin struggling to hold above $70,000, with investors watching macro data and risk trends. That matters for a case like Novak’s because it highlights a hard truth: crypto crime stories can be shocking, but the market usually moves on liquidity, rates, and leverage. For everyday users, the bigger takeaway is practical. If someone claims they can “recover” stolen crypto, asks for wallet access, or pushes a rushed “investment meeting,” that is a red flag. So is any demand for seed phrases, codes, or remote access to your device. A crypto wallet is not like a bank password reset. If you lose control of keys, you can lose the funds.
The Novak investigation now spans Dubai and Russia, with suspects in custody and more questions about who arranged introductions, transport, and cover. For Dubai authorities, the case is also a test of how they handle high-profile crypto-linked crime while the city remains a major hub for global capital. For traders, it is a reminder that headlines and charts often tell different stories at the same time: one about people and risk, and the other about price, volume, and the next move.
