Scotland's justice secretary has officially given the green light for the extradition of Nicholas Rossi, the American fugitive.
Last week, Angela Constance, the individual responsible for signing the extradition order, took action following a court ruling in August.
Nicholas Rossi to be Extradited to US
The court determined that there were no legal obstacles preventing Rossi from being returned to the United States to answer to charges of rape.
In December 2021, Rossi was apprehended in the COVID ward of a hospital in Glasgow. The individual, who is 36 years old, has come forward asserting that they are, in fact, the victim of a case of mistaken identity.
In a ruling last November, Sheriff Norman McFadyen determined that the individual in question was identified as Nicholas Rossi, rather than the name he had been consistently asserting, Arthur Knight.
During the proceedings at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, it was revealed that the suspect's fingerprints and unique tattoos were found to be a match with those of the wanted individual.
In a defiant stance, Rossi continued to assert his innocence, claiming to be a victim of a case of mistaken identity. He went on to allege that while he was incapacitated in the hospital, an unknown individual had tattooed him without his knowledge, in an apparent effort to falsely incriminate him.
In June of this year, he made his way back to the court for his extradition hearing. According to US authorities, Rossi, who was recently apprehended, is reported to have used multiple aliases, one of which is Nicholas Alahverdian.
Rossi, identified as a convicted sex offender hailing from Rhode Island, has claimed to be an Irish orphan by the name of Arthur Knight. In the extradition ruling, Sheriff McFadyen characterized Rossi as a person who exhibits dishonesty, deceitfulness, evasiveness, and manipulative tendencies.
In a compelling plea, Bovey, the defense attorney, has implored the court to either reject the extradition request for his client or postpone the proceeding to thoroughly examine Rossi's mental well-being. According to three medical witnesses, Rossi displayed no indications of acute mental illness. Additionally, a general practitioner at Saughton expressed skepticism regarding his overall health condition.
Per BBC, the sheriff has made a ruling stating that he could be legally extradited to Utah in August. The decision, however, is not final as the ultimate authority lies with the justice secretary, who will have the final say in this matter. In a time frame of two weeks, he must use his right to appeal the decision.
In a separate development, detectives in Essex have expressed their desire to interview Rossi regarding an allegation of rape that dates back to 2017.
In a developing story, Rossi has been identified as a wanted individual in the United States. Allegations have surfaced that he is connected to a case involving the alleged rape of a woman in Utah back in 2008. Additionally, Rossi is also facing charges related to domestic abuse.
According to authorities, it has been revealed that he allegedly orchestrated a scheme to feign his own demise as a means to avoid facing charges in the United States. The departure date of Rossi from the US for the UK remains uncertain, as he persists in claiming to be an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight.
Rossi, living under the alias Arthur Brown, allegedly met his wife, Miranda Knight, in Bristol last year. The couple is said to have tied the knot in the early months of 2020, with Rossi adopting the name Arthur Knight.
They relocated to Glasgow shortly thereafter. However, in a recent turn of events, Rossi's health took a severe downturn as he contracted COVID-19, necessitating his admission to the esteemed Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in the city.
DNA evidence has allegedly linked an individual to a rape case that occurred in Utah back in 2008. This crucial breakthrough in the investigation is said to have ultimately led to the discovery of the suspect in Scotland.
On December 13, 2021, he was arrested at the Glasgow hospital by police officers who gave an Interpol red notice to him.
In a collaborative effort with medical personnel at the hospital, the individual previously referred to as Arthur Knight has been positively identified as Rossi
Rossi, the individual in question, has yet to provide an official account of the events. Despite ongoing assertions that he is Arthur Knight and that the authorities have misidentified him, no official statement has been released by Rossi.
He has consistently maintained a distinct English accent, occasionally embellished with an Irish lilt whenever he refers to Dublin, the city he asserts as his birthplace. During a recent interview, Arthur Knight expressed his desire for the emergence of the 'real' Rossi, to resolve the ongoing situation and protect both himself and his wife.
Who is Nicholas Rossi?
Nicholas Rossi, first known as Nicholas Alahverdian, was born in Providence, Rhode Island in July 1987. His mother, Diana Alahverdian, and father, Jack Alahverdian, were identified as his parents.
He was adopted by none other than his stepfather, David Rossi. As a result, he made the decision to change his surname to Rossi.
Rossi, amidst a tumultuous upbringing, departed from his family residence during his teenage years, subsequently finding himself in the care of Rhode Island's Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) facilities for a significant portion of his adolescence.
In a bold move, he publicly denounced the conditions in care, alleging personal experiences of abuse and neglect. His relentless advocacy for better facilities for children residing in the state's care has garnered significant attention, establishing him as a prominent figure in the cause.
In 2008, a conviction was handed down to Rossi for the sexual assault of a student during their time at a community college in Ohio. As a result, he was placed on the sex offenders register, as per Daily Mail.
In late 2019, Rossi made a claim stating that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. According to friends in the media and politics, around this time, they started receiving calls from him, where he expressed that he was in a critical condition and believed he was nearing the end of his life.
In early 2020, an obituary surfaced online, announcing the passing of Rossi and the subsequent scattering of his ashes at sea.
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