Nicholas Rossi confirms his true identity for the first time; Judge denies bail in rape case

PROVO, Utah (KSL.com) – Nicholas Rossi, a man charged with rape in Utah County and Salt Lake County respectively, testified Wednesday that he moved to the United Kingdom and changed his name to Arthur Knight , because several people threatened his life and the life of his family after his advocacy – not because he was fleeing charges.

He took the stand to argue that he should be released from prison in the Utah County case and finally admitted his identity after denying it for several years.

His bail was set at $250,000 but he was unable to pay it. While Rossi’s attorney argued that bail should be lowered to $10,000, Utah County prosecutors said he should not be released on bail because he is a flight risk.

Fourth District Judge Derek Pullan said that while defendants have a right to bail, there are limitations. After examining the evidence, he concluded that Rossi should be held in prison without the possibility of bail.

He cited the three-year extradition process in which Rossi “strongly denied that he was Mr. Rossi” and his return to Utah, where DNA confirmed he was Rossi. Pullan also said he was not convinced Rossi’s health condition or the conditions imposed by the court would prevent him from leaving the U.S., saying Rossi had “strong incentives” to flee.

Rossi is accused of raping a 21-year-old woman in Orem in 2008. He was identified using a DNA rape kit in 2018 and charged in 2020. She fears his release would either lead to him leaving the country or harassing her, which she says he has a history of. She said she was “legitimately afraid” for herself and her children.

Derek Coats, a detective with the Utah Department of Public Safety, testified about his attempts to locate Rossi. He said an FBI agent in Ohio communicated with Rossi about a fraud case before Rossi left the country and moved to Ireland.

He said the day after a proposal to downgrade Rossi’s sex offender status in another state was approved, an announcement from the Alahverdian Foundation – which Rossi runs – said he was dying of cancer. An obituary was published the next month, in February 2020 – seven days after the wedding of Arthur Knight, under the pseudonym Rossi when he testified on Wednesday, to his wife Miranda Knight.

Coats said there were transactions in his financial accounts after his “supposed” death. Investigators later found his wife, who told them he was in the hospital with COVID-19.

After Rossi was located in the UK, Coats said the man had been fighting extradition for “almost exactly three years” – despite DNA testing confirming he was Rossi.

Rossi testified Wednesday that doctors had told him he had a 5% chance of survival and was the “sickest person in Scotland.” He said he didn’t learn about the rape charge in Utah County until he was arrested.

He said Wednesday he changed his last name from Rossi to Alahverdian to honor his biological father and his Armenian heritage, and has not used the name Rossi since before 2007. He said the name changes to Brown and Knight were intended to escape threats related to his work with the Alahverdian Foundation and his attempts to reform Rhode Island’s version of DCFS — which he said was abusive and negligent while he was there was in their care.

Rossi testified that after marriage he took his wife’s name, eventually leaving behind the surname Brown, which he had used as a pseudonym in the United Kingdom. He said he felt in danger and that several people had told him his life was being threatened. He said they were “credible threats” from “reliable sources.”

Rossi testified that he left the country because of harassment and changed his name because of threats and that he was not aware of any criminal charges against him.

“I had to take the necessary steps to ensure my safety and later the safety of my family,” he said.

Although he did not want to name the people who threatened him in a public courtroom because he believed there was a danger, the judge ordered the courtroom closed while prosecutors asked him for more details about those threats.

Daniel Diaz, Rossi’s attorney, said he is entitled to the name change and release on bail. He said the case had not been filed for 12 years. The lawyer also said Rossi had no intention of contacting the alleged victim and his physical condition would not allow it.

A bail hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Rossi’s separate Salt Lake County case. Those charges were filed in 2022 after a woman came forward after Rossi’s attempts to fight extradition made headlines.

His next hearing in the Utah County case is scheduled for Oct. 29, and Pullan discussed setting dates for a jury trial. In both cases he is charged with rape, a first-degree felony.