“Fugitive Accused of Faking Death and Fleeing U.S. Denies Charges in Salt Lake City Court | SEO-Optimized Title”

Salt Lake City — A man accused of faking his death and fleeing the U.S. to avoid rape charges in Utah vehemently denied the allegations at a court appearance Tuesday. Nicholas Rossi, who also goes by the name Nicholas Alahverdian, appeared in court and, in an apparent British accent, called the accusations against him “complete hearsay.”

Rossi, 36, is facing charges of rape in connection with an incident that occurred in Orem, Utah, in 2008. Prosecutors allege that he raped a 21-year-old woman, but he was not identified as a suspect until a decade later due to a backlog of DNA test kits at the Utah State Crime Lab.

Rossi was recently extradited from Scotland to face the charges in Utah. His return to the U.S. prompted the prosecutor who originally filed the charges to express his gratitude to international law enforcement agencies for their efforts in seeking justice for the victims. Former Utah County Prosecutor David O. Leavitt stated, “Now, it is Utah County’s turn to stand up for the victims and honor the years of diligent work.”

During the court appearance, Rossi identified himself as Arthur Knight Brown and provided a birthdate in British English format, listing the day first, followed by the month and year. This birthdate differs from Rossi’s official records, as reported by KSTU-TV.

Appearing via video from jail, Rossi wore an oxygen mask and did not enter a plea during the initial court appearance. His speech was occasionally difficult to understand, and he had to lift up the mask to be heard. Deputy Salt Lake County attorney Tamara Basuez informed the court that Rossi had not admitted his true identity or birthdate since his return to Utah.

Rossi objected to Basuez’s statement, stating, “Objection, my lady, that is complete hearsay,” during the proceedings. He remains incarcerated without the possibility of posting bail in the Orem case, and a detention hearing has been scheduled for January 26.

The judge assured Rossi that a lawyer would be appointed for him, as he claimed to already have one but stated that the attorney did not receive notice of the Tuesday hearing. Rossi, who grew up in foster homes in Rhode Island, gained attention in the state for his vocal criticism of the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Four years ago, Rossi made headlines when he announced that he had late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and only had weeks to live. An obituary published online stated that he died on February 29, 2020. Over the years, Rossi has used at least 10 different aliases, according to prosecutors.

Authorities finally apprehended Rossi in December 2021 after he was recognized by someone at a hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, where he was receiving treatment for COVID-19. Upon his arrest, Rossi insisted that he was an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight and claimed to have never set foot on American soil. Throughout the legal proceedings, he has appeared in court in a wheelchair, wearing an oxygen mask, and speaking with an apparent British accent.

After a lengthy court battle, Judge Norman McFadyen of Edinburgh Sheriff Court ruled in August that Rossi could be extradited to the U.S. The judge characterized Rossi as “dishonest and deceitful” and noted his evasive and manipulative behavior.