Man ‘who faked death’ re-arrested after missing extradition hearing

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An American who is believed to have faked his own death to escape sex assault charges – and was later arrested in a Scottish hospital after almost dying from coronavirus – has been arrested again after missing his extradition hearing.

Nicholas Rossi, who is known by various other names, was wanted in connection with an alleged sexual assault in Utah in 2008, the Utah County Attorney’s Office said, and was arrested in a Glasgow hospital late last year.

He was expected before Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday for his extradition hearing but failed to attend and a warrant was issued for his arrest, the Mail Online reported.

The Utah County Attorney confirmed on Thursday Rossi was wanted by police, and that officers later arrested him in Glasgow.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Officers arrested a 34-year-old man in the Woodlands area of Glasgow today, Thursday, 20 January, 2022, in connection with an arrest warrant. He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday.”

The 34-year-old was arrested using another alias, Arthur Knight, in December last year as he was being treated for Covid at the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

David Leavitt, Utah County Attorney, said: “We again express our gratitude to the law enforcement agencies for their diligent efforts in this matter to bring this individual to justice.

“We do not comment on extradition proceedings or on the details of the work done in the course of this ongoing investigation.”

Utah prosecutors said the alleged fugitive “fled the country to avoid prosecution” and “attempted to lead investigators and state legislators in other states to believe that he was deceased”.

Several media outlets reported in 2020 that Nicholas Alahverdian, said to be one of Mr Rossi’s many fake names, had died on February 29 2020 from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

They cited the website EverLoved.com, which said his body was cremated and his ashes scattered at sea.

An online obituary dedicated to Nicholas Alahverdian read: “Nicholas Alahverdian’s battle for life ended on February 29 2020.

“The children and families in the care of the Rhode Island Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF) for whom he inspired and led through turbulent government transgressions have lost a warrior that fought on the front lines for two decades.”