Nicholas Rossi, a man entangled in a series of legal troubles and bizarre attempts to evade justice, has been sentenced to a minimum of five years in a Utah state prison. This punishment could stretch into a life sentence for the 38-year-old from New Hampshire, who is still awaiting sentencing for an additional rape charge. Rossi’s convictions in August and September relate to two separate rape cases from 2008 in northern Utah, identified through DNA evidence from an old rape kit in 2018.
Rossi’s story took an unusual turn when, shortly after being pinpointed as a suspect, an online obituary claimed that he, under the legal name Nicholas Alahverdian, had succumbed to late-stage non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The obituary detailed that his “battle for life ended on February 29, 2020” in Rhode Island and that his remains were scattered at sea. It also mentioned he was survived by a devoted wife and two “cherished children.” However, Rhode Island police, a former lawyer, and a foster family questioned the obituary’s authenticity.
The intrigue deepened in December 2021 when Rossi was located in a Scottish hospital, where he was receiving treatment for COVID-19. Hospital staff, tipped off by his Brown University tattoo highlighted in an Interpol notice, alerted authorities. Despite the tattoo, Rossi had never attended the university. In an attempt to maintain his deception, he claimed to be an Irish orphan named Arthur King, falsely identified by authorities.
His charade unraveled in October 2023 when Scottish authorities approved his extradition. After unsuccessfully challenging this decision, Rossi was returned to the U.S. by January 2024. Investigators revealed that he had used over a dozen aliases in his efforts to remain at large, weaving a complex web of deceit that ultimately failed to shield him from justice.
In December 2021, Rossi turned up in a Scottish hospital where he was treated for COVID-19. Staffers recognized his Brown University tattoo from an Interpol notice and contacted authorities. He didn’t attend that school.
Rossi told officials he was an Irish orphan named Arthur King who was being erroneously identified. Scottish authorities approved his extradition in October 2023. He was back in the U.S. by January 2024 after challenging that order. Investigators said Rossi used at least a dozen aliases to avoid capture.
He appeared in a Utah court Thursday wearing an oxygen mask and using a wheelchair.
“I am not guilty of this. These women are lying,” Rossi claimed weakly.
A parole board will decide the length of his incarceration. A sentence of five years to life is the range of possible prison time under Utah law for rape.
A Utah judge called Rossi “the very definition of a flight risk” during sentencing. His lawyers had asked for parole.
With News Wire Services
