Man Accused of Faking Death Faces Extreme Assault Trial in US

Man Accused of Faking Death Faces Extreme Assault Trial in US

  • Nicholas Rossi, accused of faking his death and fleeing to the UK, faced an alleged rape victim in a Utah courtroom as his jury trial began
  • Prosecutors claim Rossi used charm and manipulation to exploit a vulnerable woman in 2008, while the defence argues the accusation stems from long-held resentment
  • The case has drawn attention for its complex identity twists, including Rossi’s failed attempt to avoid extradition by posing as an Irish orphan

A man accused of faking his own death and fleeing to the United Kingdom to evade rape charges has faced one of his alleged victims in court, as jury proceedings began this week in Salt Lake County, Utah.

Nicholas Rossi, 38, who is also known by his legal name Nicholas Alahverdian, appeared in court on Monday in a wheelchair, dressed in a suit and tie and using an oxygen tank.

Man Accused of Faking Death Faces Extreme Assault Trial in US
Man Accused of Faking Death Faces Extreme Assault Trial in US
Source: Getty Images

He has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually assaulting two women in Utah in 2008. Prosecutors are trying the cases separately, with the first trial now underway.

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Rossi was arrested in Scotland in 2021, a year after an obituary claimed he had died of late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

He was recognised by hospital staff in Glasgow while receiving treatment for COVID-19, who identified his tattoos from an Interpol notice. Rossi had claimed to be an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight and insisted he had never set foot on American soil.

He lost his extradition appeal and was returned to Utah in January 2024.

Alias and identity confusion

District Judge Barry Lawrence addressed the jury to clarify the complex identity issues surrounding the case, noting that Rossi had used at least a dozen aliases over the years. Both the defence and prosecution agreed that Rossi was in Utah in 2008 and had a relationship with the woman who testified.

The alleged victim, who was not publicly identified, pointed to Rossi from the witness stand, saying he appeared “a little bit heavier, a little bit older” but otherwise looked the same.

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Prosecutors described Rossi as a manipulative and intelligent man who used charm to exploit a vulnerable young woman. Deputy Salt Lake County District Attorney Brandon Simmons told the jury that Rossi raped the woman after she resisted his controlling behaviour.

Whirlwind relationship and alleged assault

The woman recounted a brief but intense relationship that began in November 2008 while she was recovering from a traumatic brain injury. She responded to a personal ad Rossi had posted on Craigslist, and the pair became engaged within two weeks.

During her testimony, she described being pressured to pay for their dates, cover Rossi’s rent, and take on debt to purchase engagement rings. “I was a little bit more of a timid person back then, and so it was harder for me to stand up for myself,” she said.

She told the court that Rossi became increasingly controlling and verbally abusive. After a heated argument in a parking garage, she reluctantly agreed to drive him home. Once inside his residence, she said Rossi pushed her onto his bed, held her down, and raped her. She described lying still, paralysed with fear.

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Although she did not report the incident to police at the time, citing dismissive comments from her parents, she did attempt to sue Rossi in small claims court over the engagement rings but later dropped the case.

Defence strategy and future trial

Rossi’s legal team argued that the alleged victim had harboured resentment for years over financial disputes during their brief relationship and accused him of rape only after seeing him in the news a decade later.

“This case is like an old puzzle from the thrift store,” said defence attorney MacKenzie Potter. “It’s 13 years old, not all the pieces are there, some pieces are from a different puzzle. And when you start going through everything, you’re not going to get a complete picture.”

Prosecutors countered that any missing “puzzle pieces” were the result of defence efforts to have evidence dismissed.

Rossi is scheduled to stand trial again in September for a separate rape charge in Utah County.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Basit Jamiu avatar

Basit Jamiu (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Basit Jamiu is a journalist with more than five years of experience. He is a current affairs and politics editor at Legit.ng. He holds a bachelor's degree from Ekiti State University (2018). Basit previously worked as a staff writer at Ikeja Bird (2022), Associate Editor at Prime Progress (2022), and Staff Writer at The Movee (2018). He is a 2024 Open Climate Fellow (West Africa), 2023 MTN Media Fellow, OCRP Fellow at ICIR, and Accountability Fellow at CJID. Email: basit.jamiu@corp.legit.ng.

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