Utah court trial commences for individual facing allegations of falsifying demise to evade rape allegations
Nicholas Rossi, Accused of Multiple Sexual Assaults, Convicted in Utah
Nicholas Rossi, previously known as Nicholas Alahverdian, has been found guilty of raping a woman in Utah in 2008. This conviction comes after a lengthy legal battle following his arrest in Scotland in 2021.
Rossi, who allegedly faked his own death in 2020, was accused of using his charm to take advantage of a vulnerable young woman. Prosecutors painted a picture of him using manipulation and control during their relationship, with the woman testifying that he became mean and controlling.
The woman met Rossi after responding to a personal ad he posted on Craigslist. Within about two weeks, they were engaged. However, the relationship was not without its financial burdens. The woman described being asked to pay for their dates, cover Rossi's rent, and take on debt to buy their engagement rings.
The woman testified that Rossi forced her to have sex with him. She described lying still, paralyzed with fear during the alleged assault. Despite trying to bring Rossi to small claims court over the engagement rings, she eventually dropped the case.
Dismissive comments from her parents convinced the woman not to go to the police at the time. Rossi grew up in foster homes in Rhode Island and had returned to the state before allegedly faking his death. At least a dozen aliases have been identified that Rossi used over the years to evade capture.
An obituary published online claimed he died on Feb. 29, 2020, of late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but his death was later cast in doubt. Rossi was arrested in Scotland in 2021, under the alias Arthur Knight, after hospital staff recognized his tattoos, which had been circulated by Interpol.
Rossi aggressively fought extradition to the United States by claiming mistaken identity and insisting he was an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight who had never been to the U.S., adopting a British accent and using a wheelchair and oxygen mask during court appearances.
In August 2025, Rossi was found guilty by a Salt Lake County jury of raping a woman in 2008. He faces up to five years in prison for these charges. This conviction followed his lengthy extradition and legal battles after being apprehended in Scotland.
Rossi will stand trial in September for another rape charge in Utah County. This case highlights a complex international extradition process and a rare instance of a fugitive faking death to avoid prosecution. The ongoing legal situation concluded with his conviction in 2025 after being returned from Scotland.
Summary of key points:
- Nicholas Rossi aka Nicholas Alahverdian was accused of multiple sexual assaults in Utah in 2008.
- Faked his death in 2020 using a false cancer diagnosis and obituary to evade charges.
- Arrested in Glasgow in 2021 under the alias Arthur Knight after COVID-19 hospitalization.
- Fought extradition by claiming mistaken identity and presenting false persona.
- Convicted in 2025 for rape in Utah and faces prison time.
- Will stand trial in September for another rape charge in Utah County.
[1] The New York Times [2] Salt Lake Tribune [3] BBC News [4] CNN
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