Court proceedings commence in Utah for an individual accused of feigning his own demise to evade sexual assault indictments
In a dramatic turn of events, Nicholas Rossi, a US-born sex offender from Rhode Island, is currently standing trial for rape charges in Utah. Rossi, also known by the alias Nicholas Alahverdian, is accused of sexually assaulting two women in the state back in 2008.
Rossi's complex past involves a pattern of criminal behavior, multiple false identities, and a high-profile international flight from prosecution. In 2020, an obituary claimed he died of late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but doubts were cast by state police, his former lawyer, and a former foster family. The truth was unveiled in 2021 when Rossi was arrested in Scotland after hospital staff recognized his tattoos from an Interpol notice while he was receiving treatment for COVID-19.
Growing up in foster homes in Rhode Island, Rossi had a history of using at least a dozen aliases to avoid capture. Prosecutors were able to connect DNA evidence from the 2008 Utah case to confirm his identity. Rossi's elaborate attempts to evade justice were further illustrated by his staging of a fake death, including emails requesting a memorial mass.
One of the women who testified against Rossi detailed her whirlwind relationship with him, which began in November 2008 while she was recovering from a traumatic brain injury. She testified that the relationship quickly became controlling, with Rossi saying mean things to her. She also claimed that he forced her to have sex with him.
Rossi's lawyers, however, accused the alleged victim of building up years of resentment and accusing him of rape to get back at him. The woman responded by describing a physical assault on her car during a fight in a parking garage, as well as being asked to pay for their dates, cover Rossi's rent, and take on debt to buy their engagement rings.
The judge has clarified for the jury that different people may refer to Rossi by different names. As of August 2025, Rossi has been found guilty in one trial and faces further trials for additional charges in Utah. Rossi, who appeared in court in a wheelchair, wearing a suit and tie and using an oxygen tank, will stand trial again in September for another rape charge in Utah County.
[1] News article about Rossi's arrest in Scotland [2] News article about Rossi's extradition to Utah [3] News article about Rossi's fake death [4] News article about Rossi's DNA evidence [5] News article about Rossi's trial
- War-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice sections of general news might cover the ongoing trial of Nicholas Rossi, a US citizen with a history of criminal behavior who is currently standing trial for rape charges in Utah.
- Politics and general news could discuss the extradition of Nicholas Rossi from Scotland to Utah for trial on additional rape charges following his arrest in 2021.
