by Salt Lake City, Utah — A man who once staged his own death and fled the country to avoid prosecution has been convicted of rape in Utah, closing a chapter in one of the state’s most bizarre and high-profile criminal cases.
A Salt Lake County jury found Nicholas Alahverdian, also known as Nicholas Rossi, guilty Wednesday after three days of testimony. Jury deliberations began the same day, leading to a swift verdict. He is scheduled to be sentenced in October, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
A Web of Identities and an International Escape
In 2020, an online obituary announced that Alahverdian had died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Two years later, in 2022, authorities arrested him in Scotland under the name Arthur Knight.
When detained overseas, he appeared in a wheelchair, spoke with a British accent, and claimed to be an Irish orphan turned businessman. Prosecutors say this was part of an elaborate scheme to hide from sexual assault and fraud charges in the United States.
Court records show that Alahverdian later admitted his true identity under oath in 2024.
The 2008 Assault Case
The conviction stems from a 2008 rape case involving a 24-year-old woman whom Alahverdian had quickly courted and proposed to after a whirlwind romance.
Prosecutors argued that once the victim purchased their engagement rings and lent him rent money, Alahverdian’s behavior became controlling and abusive. When she tried to end the relationship, he became violent and sexually assaulted her.
The victim’s testimony described a heated confrontation that escalated into an assault, a claim prosecutors supported with forensic evidence and witness statements.
The Defense Argument
Defense attorney MacKenzie Potter compared the allegations to “an old puzzle from the thrift store,” suggesting that critical pieces were missing. She emphasized that the victim’s account had evolved over time and claimed it could not be fully verified.
Despite the defense’s challenge, the jury sided with prosecutors, finding Alahverdian guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A History of Abuse Allegations
Alahverdian’s criminal history includes multiple allegations of violence and sexual misconduct spanning several states:
- Massachusetts (2010) — His then-wife accused him of assaulting her during an argument over a crying baby. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor domestic assault and was sentenced to probation.
- Ohio (2008) — A woman accused him of sexual assault while they were walking to class. He was convicted of misdemeanors including sexual imposition and ordered to register as a sex offender.
Read Also: NYPD Officers Shoot 22-Year-Old Felon During Brooklyn Gunfight; Second Suspect Still on the Run
Another Utah Trial Awaits
Alahverdian faces a second rape trial in Utah County next month. That case, also dating back to 2008, involves another woman who says she ended their relationship after he became aggressive and took money without repaying it.
According to an affidavit, she visited his home on September 13, 2008, expecting repayment. Instead, she alleges, he raped her. A sexual assault kit collected the next day ultimately linked him to the crime, though a backlog in testing meant authorities didn’t identify him as a suspect until a decade later.
He has pleaded not guilty in that case.
A Long Road to Justice
Victim advocates, including RAINN, say the case underscores the challenges of prosecuting fugitives and the persistence required to achieve justice years later. For the victims, the conviction represents the end of a years-long pursuit for accountability.
Have thoughts on this case? Share your opinion in the comments at ibwhsmag.com.
