US fugitive accused of faking his death to avoid rape charge extradited from Scotland

A U.S. fugitive known as Nicholas Rossi, who is accused of faking his own death to avoid a rape charge in Utah has been extradited from Scotland

LONDON -- A U.S. fugitive known as Nicholas Rossi, who is accused of faking his own death to avoid a rape charge in Utah, has been extradited to the United States, British media reported Friday.

Rossi, 36, whose legal name is Nicholas Alahverdian, is charged with sexually assaulting a former girlfriend in Orem, Utah, in 2008, according to the Utah County prosecutor’s office. He also faces multiple complaints against him in Rhode Island for alleged domestic violence.

In response to an inquiry from The Associated Press about reports that Rossi had been returned to the U.S., Police Scotland would only confirm it assisted other law enforcement agencies to extradite a 36-year-old man. It was not immediately clear when Rossi left Scotland or where he was destined.

Rossi's run from the law took a bizarre turn when he was arrested in December 2021 after being recognized by someone at a Glasgow hospital while he was being treated for COVID-19. He insisted he was an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight and had never set foot on American soil.

The man had said he was framed by authorities who took his fingerprints while he was in a coma so they could connect him to Rossi. He repeatedly appeared in court in a wheelchair using an oxygen mask and speaking in a less-than-convincing British accent.