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PROVO — Nicholas Rossi, a man facing separate rape charges in Utah County and Salt Lake County, testified Wednesday that he moved to the United Kingdom and changed his name to Arthur Knight because he had multiple people threatening his life and the lives of his family following his advocacy work — not because he was fleeing charges.
He took the witness stand to argue he should be released from jail in the Utah County case, finally admitting to his identity after denying it for multiple years.
His bail has been set for $250,000, but has not been able to pay it. While Rossi's attorney argued the bail amount should be reduced to $10,000, Utah County prosecutors said he should not be allowed out on bail, arguing that he is a flight risk.
Fourth District Judge Derek Pullan said although defendants have a right to bail, there are limitations. After considering the evidence, he ruled Rossi should be held in jail without the option of bail.
He cited the three-year extradition process where Rossi "denied emphatically that he was Mr. Rossi," and his return to Utah where DNA confirmed that he was Rossi. Pullan also said he is not persuaded that Rossi's health or conditions the court could impose would prevent him from leaving the U.S. and said Rossi has "strong incentives" to flee.
Rossi is accused of raping a 21-year-old woman in Orem in 2008. He was identified through a DNA rape kit in 2018 and charged in 2020. The woman who alleges she was raped by Rossi said in a letter read by prosecutors Wednesday that she worries his release would either lead to him leaving the country or harassing her, which she said he has a history of. She said she has a "legitimate fear" for herself and her children.
Utah Department of Public Safety detective Derek Coats testified about his attempts to locate Rossi. He said an FBI agent in Ohio had communicated with Rossi about a fraud case before Rossi left the country and moved to Ireland.
He said the day after a proposal was granted to reduce Rossi's sex offender registry status in another state, an announcement from the Alahverdian Foundation —which is run by Rossi — said he was dying of cancer. An obituary was posted the next month, in February 2020 — seven days after the wedding of Arthur Knight, the alias Rossi used when testifying Wednesday, to his wife, Miranda Knight.
Coats said there were transactions on his financial accounts after his "supposed" death. Later, investigators found his wife who told them he was in the hospital with COVID-19.
After Rossi was located in the United Kingdom, Coats said the man fought extradition for "almost exactly three years" — even though DNA tests confirm he is Rossi.
Rossi testified Wednesday that doctors told him he had a 5% chance of survival and was the "illest person in Scotland." He said he learned about the Utah County rape charge only when he was arrested.
He said on Wednesday he changed his last name from Rossi to Alahverdian to honor his birth father and his Armenian heritage, and hasn't used the name Rossi since before 2007. He said the name changes to Brown and Knight were to escape threats related to his work with the Alahverdian Foundation and attempts to reform Rhode Island's version of DCFS — which he said was abusive and neglectful while he was in its care.
Rossi testified that he took his wife's name after they were married, eventually leaving behind the last name Brown that he had been using as an alias in the United Kingdom. He said he felt he was in danger and multiple people told him his life was being threatened. He said they were "credible threats" from "reliable sources."
Rossi testified he left the country because of harassment, and changed his name due to threats and was not aware of any criminal case against him.
"I had to take the steps necessary to ensure that I was kept safe, and later on to keep my family safe," he said.
Although he would not indicate the names of the people who were threatening him in an open courtroom due to what he said was the potential for danger, the judge ordered the courtroom to be 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 to bail. He said the case was not filed for 12 years. The attorney also said Rossi has no intention to contact the alleged victim, and his physical condition would not allow him to.
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.
