After faking his own death, a fugitive is back on the loose after getting caught with Covid in Scotland.
Scottish officials confirmed to DailyMail.com yesterday that Nicholas Alahverdian, 34, failed to appear for an extradition hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday and that a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Alahverdian was arrested on an Interpol notice at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow on December 13. Alahverdian had been checked-in under Arthur Knight and nearly died from the virus.
Although he was placed under hospital armed guard, he was later released to bail and is on the road.
Alahverdian, 32 years old, claimed he died from cancer in February 2020. He was buried at sea. Alahverdian is currently being investigated for a 2008 charge of sexual assault in Utah.
Alahverdian, who is charged with rape of his ex-girlfriend, was arrested in September 2008. The police investigating Alahverdian discovered that he had previously been accused in similar incidents in Rhode Island (Massachusetts), Massachusetts, Utah, and Ohio.
Nicholas Rossi is also known for his fake identity. He was found guilty of sexual assault after an “encounter” with another Sinclair Community College student in Dayton.
It is claimed that he is also suspected of other sexual attacks and of fraud of $200,000 after allegedly taking out loans and credit cards in the name of his foster father in Ohio. Alahverdian, who was married for less than 2 years, divorced his second spouse in 2017. He is also alleged to owe $52,000. Following the end of their marriage, Alahverdian was divorced by his second wife.
Alahverdian (a Rhode Island activist) claimed that as a child he had been abused by the foster system. He called for changes in state law. The story of Alahverdian, a man who had a dark past but overcame it to become a Harvard-educated politician scientist, was a fascinating tale that shocked many in the circle he lived. Several lawmakers took pity upon him.
According to DailyMail.com, the charge involves the rape and attack on a Utah woman who Alahverdian had befriended via MySpace.
Nicholas Alahverdian (pictured in 2011) was arrested after fleeing the US for Scotland and faking his cancer death.
The map below shows Nicholas Alahverdian’s trail of alleged criminal activity and havoc across the US.
The Provo, Utah County Sheriff’s Office started the search for Alahverdian after they tested old sexual assault kit.
These were uploaded to a national database of criminal records.
Alahverdian, who was found guilty of Ohio sex attack in 2008, showed evidence that he had been a victim to a similar sexual assault in Orem.
This case was initially closed by the lead detective, without being referred for prosecution.
While DNA is believed to have led to his capture in Scotland by the police, it remains unclear why staff members became suspicious.
Leavitt stated Thursday that “That’s the place we started this investigation.”
“And what we found was an extensive trail of victims that ran from Utah, Ohio, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
“All have very similar pattern, very similar stories.”
Alahverdian, according to Utah DA, had fled Ohio from Ohio-related charges. But further details about the allegations against Alahverdian – who claimed to be a single father with two children – have yet not been revealed.
He also faced fraud and extortion complaints in Utah and Ohio, the Providence-Journal reported.
It is unclear if the Ohio fraud charge is linked to the fraudulently obtained loans and credit cards.
In 2008, he was found guilty in Dayton of sexual imposition and public indecency. Alahverdian claimed that the allegations stemmed from his masturbating in Sinclair Community College’s hallway.
Alahverdian said he died in Rhode Island. State representatives mourned his death and his medical problems meant that cops finally were able to find him and get him arrested.
The Providence Journal declined to publish an Alahverdian-related obituary after the third wife claimed she had died. She also stated her husband’s burial was at sea.
In February 2020, Alahverdian was remembered with a memorial. It claimed that he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His last words were “fear not” and “run toward the blissful sun.”
In 2008, he was found guilty in Dayton of sexual imposition and public indecency. Alahverdian claimed that the allegations stemmed from his masturbating in Sinclair Community College’s hallway.
Alahverdian said he died in Rhode Island. State representatives mourned his death and his medical problems meant that cops finally were able to find him and get him arrested.
The Providence Journal declined to publish an Alahverdian-related obituary after the third wife claimed she had died. She also stated her husband’s burial was at sea.
The extradition process was conducted via videolink, which was carried out from his Scottish hospital bed. He was believed to be in Scotland and awaiting extradition. DailyMail.com reached the Ohio County District Attorney’s Office for clarification.
He found an online post containing a glowing obituary for Alahverdian that his foster mother suspected he had posted himself.
Three weeks later, Alahverdian died, there was a YouTube plea asking people to support the former foster carer and push for reform of Rhode Island’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
Alahverdian, speaking in a gruff voice toward the end a video self-promotional about his achievements, said: “I’m Nicholas Alahverdian. I ask you to please join me in my last fight for reform DCYF.”
In an effort to emphasize that Alahverdian was indeed dead, a local radio station also posted a news report about Alahverdian’s passing to YouTube.
Mr Alahverdian, 34, was arrested on an Interpol notice at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow on December 13 after nearly dying of Covid-19
In March 2020, Rhode Island Representative Frank McCabe eulogized him as ‘an accomplished author and child welfare reform advocate’.
‘During his years in the custody of DCYF, he endured significant abuse, depravation of education, neglect, and unhealthy living conditions,’ McCabe said in the House Chamber. ‘The challenges he faced throughout those years could have irrevocably changed his life.
“Rather, these hardships taught him compassion, passion, and drove. Nicholas survived and triumphed over the many years of being in the system.
A ‘memorial’ Twitter accounted purported to be run by ‘Nick’s widow Louise Alahverdian’ appeared to exist to shut down any claims he was alive.
‘More fake news about Nick is released the more the Rhode Island gov & now the FBI prove they tried to silence him,’ said one tweet. ‘Too late. Difference now is he is deceased & I as his wife and 20+ staff can tell his story. He left seven manuscripts for publication. RI politics will not be the exact same.
Although Louise Alahverdian is married twice previously, no online evidence supports her existence.
Although he was previously convicted in Ohio of two sex assaults in 2008, the sex offender used Arthur Knight as his name when he was detained by Police Scotland officers. However, it is thought that a total of eight aliases were used since he fled in 2018.
More details about Knight’s journey to Scotland and his time there have not been revealed.
Alahverdian also used the surname Rossi and fled to the USA after DNA was found linking him with a sex attack on Ohio. There are reports that similar crimes have been committed across the US.
According to Utah County Attorney’s Office he was charged in two states with sexual assault and fraud.
In February 2020, an obituary posted by Alahverdian claimed that he had succumbed to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His last words were “fear not” and “run toward the blissful sun.”
‘At the time of his passing, the room was filled with the sounds of the end credits for the 1997 film “Contact” by composer Alan Silvestri, a film and score which held special meaning for Mr. Alahverdian,’ the obituary said
According to the obituary, he died with his family and his two children.
‘At the time of his passing, the room was filled with the sounds of the end credits for the 1997 film “Contact” by composer Alan Silvestri, a film and score which held special meaning for Mr. Alahverdian,’ the obituary said.
He was also described in the tribute as “one of Rhode Island’s most vocal and outspoken advocates for reform.” [Department of Children, Youth and Families]and the child care systems.
One year later, his self-described ‘death” was confirmed by reports from the USA. They revealed that police believed he wasn’t dead and were actively searching for him.
The FBI had already interrogated him about a charge of credit card fraud.
However, extradition proceedings are now underway to Utah. DNA lead officials to Scotland to find him on a ventilator in a hospital.
Alahverdian, a 2008 victim of sexual assault in Ohio was convicted and his DNA was added to a national database in 2017.
Alahverdian grew in Rhode Island foster care. He’made it his mission against his mission against what he called abuses in state’s childcare system’, local radio station WRPO 630 stated in reporting the death.
Prosecutors say that in 2020 his DNA matches samples from an alleged Utah sexual assault and they discovered that he was also suspect in several other incidents in America.
A warrant was issued for him to be arrested because he failed to register in Rhode Island as a sex offenders.
Alahverdian now faces extradition proceedings. Leavitt has thanked all police around the world, including Police Scotland for finding him.
He stated that he was grateful to the interagency cooperation of law enforcement agencies to bring him to justice.
Alahverdian now faces extradition proceedings by Utah County
Official Utah County Attorney statements added that Nicholas Rossi, who fled the country in an attempt to escape Ohio prosecutions, tried to persuade investigators and lawmakers in other states to believe he had died.
“Through the tireless efforts of SBI agents, various investigators from other states, agencies and in cooperation the Utah County Attorney’s Office. Mr. Rossi was found to have been living in Scotland under an assumed name.
“He was taken into custody. The Utah County Attorney’s Office works with international and federal agencies to extradite Rossi to Utah.
Major Robert A. Creamer of Rhode Island State Police stated that the man was found in Scotland around a month ago and was being ventilated.
Police Scotland spokesperson said that a man aged 34 was arrested in Glasgow Monday 13 December in connection to an international warrant. A report was sent to the fiscal procurator.
A Crown Office spokeswoman said: “I can confirm Arthur Knight appeared via QEUH video link on Thursday 23/12/2021 in relation of extradition proceedings for USA.
“No future dates were yet set.”