A Rhode Island man, Nicholas Rossi, who staged his own death and fled to Scotland to evade prosecution for rape, has been sentenced
The 38-year-old, whose legal name is Nicholas Alahverdian, was found guilty of the 2008 rape of a former girlfriend in Utah and received an indeterminate sentence of at least five years to life. The exact duration will be determined later by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, according to reports by the BBC and Associated Press (AP)....Click to Read More >>➤
Rossi’s sentencing follows two separate convictions related to assaults on two women in northern Utah in 2008. He was convicted in August and September, with his second sentencing scheduled for November.
During Monday’s court session, District Judge Barry Lawrence described Rossi as “a serial abuser of women” and a “flight risk,” before ordering his transfer to the Utah State Correctional Facility.
Despite the verdict, Rossi maintained his innocence, declaring in court, “I am not guilty of this. These women are lying.”
Background of the Case
According to Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, Rossi met his former girlfriend—identified as M.B.—online in 2008. They dated briefly and even discussed marriage, visiting a jewelry store to buy engagement rings. However, an argument at Rossi’s apartment in Orem reportedly turned violent when he threw her onto a bed and raped her.
Authorities also accused Rossi of raping another ex-girlfriend in September 2008 at his apartment, after she confronted him about money he allegedly stole.
Years on the Run
Rossi fled the United States in 2017, reportedly living in the United Kingdom and later moving to Scotland under a series of aliases. In 2018, investigators reviewing untested rape kits linked him to the second 2008 case.
In 2020, months after being charged again, Rossi faked his own death. An obituary circulated online claimed he had died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma on February 29, 2020.
His deception unraveled in 2021 when he was discovered alive and arrested at a Glasgow hospital while being treated for COVID-19. After a lengthy legal battle, he was extradited to the U.S. to face trial.
What’s Next
Rossi will face sentencing for his second rape conviction in November. Depending on the parole board’s review, his prison term could extend to life. ...Click to Read More >>➤
