Let’s be honest, think of Dubai, and glittering skyscrapers are probably the first things that come to mind. But lately, there’s another side of the story making quiet waves: the emirate’s growing list of high-profile tech fugitives.
Take Pavel Durov, the elusive founder of Telegram. He’s been based in Dubai since 2017, enjoying the city’s sunshine and privacy. But after getting arrested in France in August 2024, he wasn’t exactly grounded for long. By March 2025, he was back in Dubai, continuing to run Telegram like nothing ever happened. Legal heat? Sure. But Dubai seems to be cool with that.
Then there’s Patrick Byrne, the former Overstock CEO turned post-election conspiracy theorist. Subpoenas and lawsuits started piling up, and by late 2024, he quietly exited stage right to Dubai. His reasoning? “I’ll be back after the election cycle,” he said. Meanwhile, he’s lounging in the desert breeze, far from the courtroom drama.
The list gets darker. Ruja Ignatova, remember her? The infamous “Cryptoqueen” behind OneCoin? She vanished in 2017, but leaked documents later placed her in a Dubai penthouse. Not a bad hiding spot if you’re trying to dodge an international warrant.
Let’s not overlook Do Kwon, the mastermind behind the Terra/Luna crash that shook the foundation of the crypto world. After the collapse, he didn’t stick around. He tried slipping into Dubai using a fake passport, but his plan hit a wall when authorities in Montenegro intercepted him before he could make it.
And there’s Sam Lee, the HyperVerse founder, facing a $1.9 billion fraud case. Despite being flagged by Interpol, he’s reportedly still operating from Dubai, business as usual. Same story, different name.
Even back in 2008, Stein Bagger, once Denmark’s most-wanted fraudster, made a quick exit to Dubai before finally surrendering.
So, is Dubai turning into a five-star refuge for tech’s most wanted? The city doesn’t publicly advertise it, of course. But one thing’s clear: if you’re on the run with a yacht-load of crypto, Dubai might just be where your GPS is pointing.
