A judge has determined that the guy seized in a Scottish hospital last year is the American fugitive, Nicholas Rossi.
The individual said he was the victim of a case of mistaken identity and stated his name was Arthur Knight.
However, the Edinburgh Sheriff’s Court heard that his tattoos and fingerprints were identical to Rossi’s.
Authorities in the United States are requesting Rossi’s extradition on charges of rape and sexual assault.
To avoid prosecution, he allegedly faked his death and escaped to Scotland.
He had spent the previous year maintaining that he was Arthur Knight, an Irish orphan who had never visited the United States.
In an attempt to frame him, he said he was given distinguishing tattoos resembling those on Rossi’s arms while he was asleep in a Glasgow hospital.
However, following a three-day hearing, Sheriff Norman McFadyen stated, “I am ultimately satisfied on the balance of probability that Mr. Knight is Nicholas Rossi, the individual sought by the United States for extradition.”
Sheriff McFadyen dismissed Rossi’s assertions that he was the victim of mistaken identity as “implausible” and “fanciful” and stated that Rossi’s repeated name changes were “very suspicious” and “compatible with someone hiding from someone or something.”
In March, the Scottish courts will determine whether or not to extradite him to the United States to face prosecution on the charges against him.
Rossi was detained by Police Scotland last year after hospital personnel recognized his tattoos, photographs of which had been shared by Interpol, while he was receiving treatment for Covid.
Lisa Davidson, a fingerprint expert, testified in court that the prints taken from the guy claiming to be Arthur Knight after his detention were identical to those of Rossi, which were included on an extradition request from the United States and an Interpol red notice.
But Rossi said his fingerprints were tampered with and collected by an NHS employee named “Patrick” on behalf of Utah county attorney David Leavitt.
Deputy attorney Paul Harvey dismissed his assertions as “completely absurd” and “bizarre.”
Rossi’s accent also varied numerous times throughout his testimony.
Rossi had fired at least six attorneys and claimed he was tortured in prison throughout a series of previous hearings in the case.
Miranda Knight, his 41-year-old wife, testified during the hearing that her husband had offered no clue that he was indeed Nicholas Rossi.
The court presented Rossi’s marriage certificate, which had been signed by Nicholas Brown.
The court was informed on Wednesday that US prosecutors made fresh extradition petitions for Rossi about allegations of rape in Salt Lake City and sexual assault.
Rossi, who appeared in court while confined to a wheelchair, was already appealing an extradition request from Utah officials, who believe he raped a 21-year-old woman in the state in 2008.
In 2008, he had already been convicted of sexually assaulting a lady named Mary, whom he had met online.
She told that Rossi forced her against a wall at an Ohio college, forcibly kissed and touched her, and masturbated in front of her.
Mary expressed her hope that Rossi would now face justice for the remaining charges against him, adding, “He is attempting to deceive everyone, and I’m delighted that so many people see through his ruse.”
What is Nicholas Rossi’s identity?
Rossi, according to US authorities, was also known as Nicholas Alahverdian in the state of Rhode Island, where he was active in local politics and criticized the state’s child welfare system.
Rossi informed US media in December 2019 that he was in the final stages of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had only weeks to live. Multiple sources reported that he passed away in February 2020.
According to court papers, Utah authorities were searching for him at the time in connection with an alleged rape.
When he was apprehended in Glasgow, he was also evading authorities in other U.S. states.
He also used the identities Nicholas Alahverdian-Rossi, Nick Alan, Nicholas Brown, Arthur Brown, and Arthur Knight.
In addition, the FBI issued an arrest warrant for him on allegations of cheating his foster father by obtaining credit cards in his name and racking up more than $200,000 in debts.
