Nicholas Rossi, an American fugitive wanted for rape in Utah who fled the country under an alias, recently confirmed his identity in court.
Rossi, 37, fled to the UK in 2017 under the alias Arthur Knight. He claimed to have been of Irish decent and married his wife, Miranda Knight in 2020.
He has been accused of raping two women, in Salt Lake County and Orem, Utah, in 2008.
Prosecutors allege that he orchestrated his death to evade prosecution in the United States.
In 2008, he was found guilty of sexual imposition and public indecency during his time as a student at Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio.
Rossi was identified in December 2021 when he was hospitalised for COVID-19 in Glasgow.
Hospital staff recognised him based on his tattoos, leading to his confirmation through fingerprints by the Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Rossi maintain the identity Arthur Knight after he was arrested and during the two-year legal proceedings, insisting he was a victim of mistaken identity.
He was accused of staging a memorial service for himself to avoid legal consequences.
According to the BBC, Rossi admitted he faked his identity last week, during a bail hearing for one of the rape charges. He said he was born with the name Nicholas Alahverdian but adopted the name Arthur Knight due to being threatened by election officials in Rhode Island.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance signed an extradition order for Rossi in September 2023. He was flown back to the United States in January 2024 to face the charges against him.
Michele, born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, has been following this case closely and told The Student:
“What an idiot thinking that he could get away with it. The UK was smart to find him. Now his victims can get justice.”
Lauren, another Rhode Island local has strong views about Rossi, she told The Student:
“[The] guy is a scumbag. He could have picked a better name than Arthur Knight.”
Rossi’s council have filed a not guilty plea. A subsequent hearing is scheduled for two weeks time.