In his initial court appearance in the United States, Nicholas Rossi, a fugitive accused of faking his death to evade rape charges, vehemently denied the allegations. Rossi, extradited from Scotland, appeared via video camera from jail, donning an oxygen mask.
The 35-year-old is wanted for the alleged rape of a woman in Utah in 2008, as well as facing domestic abuse charges. His identity as a suspect emerged about a decade later due to a DNA test kit backlog at the state crime lab.
During the court session, Rossi identified himself as Arthur Knight Brown, providing a birthdate in British format distinct from his actual birthdate. Rossi, who allegedly died in 2020 and claimed to have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, is believed to have adopted the alias Arthur Brown after moving to the UK in 2017. Despite his return to Utah, Rossi has not acknowledged his real name or birthdate, contesting the claims with objections in apparent British-accented English.
Nicholas Alahverdian, also known as Rossi, has been held without the possibility of bail. The judge mentioned appointing a lawyer for Rossi, who claimed to already have one but asserted that the attorney was unaware of the hearing. Prosecutors revealed Rossi had used at least 10 different aliases over the years.
Rossi’s efforts to elude the law came to an end in December 2021 when he was recognized at a Glasgow hospital while being treated for Covid. During his arrest, he insisted on being an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight and denied ever setting foot on American soil.
Appearing in court in a wheelchair with an oxygen mask, Rossi’s extradition faced legal battles, with the Edinburgh Sheriff Court ruling in August that it could proceed. The judge described Rossi as “as dishonest and deceitful as he is evasive and manipulative.”
