Man found guilty of feigning death and leaving the country to dodge rape trial in Utah
Nicholas Rossi, formerly known as Nicholas Alahverdian, faced two separate rape charges from 2008 in Utah after being extradited from Scotland. The trials for these charges were held in Salt Lake County and Utah County.
The Salt Lake County trial, which concluded in August 2025, saw Rossi being found guilty of rape following a three-day trial. The verdict was given after the accuser and her parents testified about their experiences with Rossi. Rossi declined to testify on his own behalf.
The timeline of events leading up to the trial is as follows:
- 2008: Alleged sexual assaults occurred in Utah.
- 2020: Rossi was reported dead in the US, but this was later proven false.
- 2021: Rossi was arrested in Scotland after hospital staff recognized his distinctive tattoos from an Interpol notice.
- August 2024: A Utah judge ordered Rossi to stand trial, with an arraignment and bail hearing set for October 17, 2024.
- October 2024: At the bail hearing, Rossi admitted faking his death and identity, citing trauma and alleged death threats from Rhode Island officials. However, bail was denied due to his flight risk.
- May 2025: Judges agreed to hold evidentiary hearings in private due to case publicity concerns.
- August 2025: The trial began in Salt Lake County, with a jury hearing testimony including details of the alleged 2008 assault.
The Utah County trial for the second rape charge is still pending as of August 2025.
Rossi's defense initially attempted to deny his identity and self-represent at trial, but later accepted legal representation. The victim described a rapidly escalating intimate relationship that turned controlling and violent, leading to the charges.
The case drew attention due to the faked death, extradition from abroad, and Rossi's multiple identity claims. Rossi is also wanted in Rhode Island for failing to register as a sex offender. He will be sentenced on Oct. 20 and is set to stand trial in September for another rape charge in Utah County.
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