Trial initiated in Utah for an individual facing allegations of staging his own demise to evade rape proceedings
In a series of shocking revelations, Nicholas Rossi, also known as Nicholas Alahverdian and Arthur Knight, has been unmasked as a fugitive who has used at least a dozen aliases over the years to evade capture. The latest twist in this intricate story unfolded in Utah, where Rossi is facing rape charges dating back to 2008.
Rossi, who was born Nicholas Alahverdian, is the man accused in court for sexually assaulting two women in 2008. The woman who testified against him revealed that she met Rossi in November of that year while recovering from a traumatic brain injury. Their relationship, it was agreed by both the defense and prosecution, was factual, and Rossi was indeed in Utah during that year.
However, Rossi's life took a dramatic turn in 2020 when an obituary published online claimed he died of late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This intentional deception was an attempt to avoid rape charges. The deception was short-lived, as Rossi was arrested in Scotland in 2021, a year after his alleged death.
Upon his arrest, Rossi claimed to be Arthur Knight, an Irish orphan who had never been to the U.S. However, authorities quickly proved this identity false. Prosecutors stated that Rossi used multiple aliases beyond these two names to hide from law enforcement for many years.
The woman testified that Rossi became controlling and said mean things to her after their engagement. She also described being asked to pay for their dates, cover Rossi's rent, and take on debt to buy their engagement rings. The couple got into a fight in which Rossi pounded on her car and used his body to block her from pulling out of a parking garage. The woman tried to bring Rossi to small claims court over the engagement rings but dropped the case.
The woman did not go to the police at the time due to dismissive comments from her parents. She described being forced to have sex with Rossi against her will. Prosecutors described Rossi as an intelligent man who used his charm to take advantage of a vulnerable young woman.
Rossi's lawyers accused him of being accused of rape to get back at him a decade later due to years of resentment built up from financial burden. However, the woman's testimony and the evidence presented in court paint a different picture.
In January 2024, hospital staff in Scotland recognised Rossi's tattoos from an Interpol notice and alerted authorities, leading to his extradition to Utah. Rossi appeared in court in a wheelchair, wearing a suit and tie, and using an oxygen tank.
As the trial continues, Rossi will stand trial in September for another rape charge in Utah County. The full extent of his criminal history and the identities he has used remain a mystery, but one thing is clear: Nicholas Rossi, Nicholas Alahverdian, and Arthur Knight are all names belonging to the same man, a man who has spent years evading justice.
[1] Scottish News Outlet - Arrest of Nicholas Rossi [2] Utah News Outlet - Extradition of Nicholas Rossi [3] Court Records - Trial of Nicholas Rossi
- The extradition of Nicholas Rossi, a fugitive with multiple aliases who has a lengthy history of legal troubles, including rape charges in Utah, is making headlines in both Scottish and Utahn news outlets.
- As the trial unfolds, the general news, crime-and-justice sectors are closely following the case of Nicholas Rossi, a man with a questionable past who has mastered the art of concealment under various identity pretenses, leading to his eventual encounter with the law.
