Fugitive Rapist Who Faked Death Dies After Conviction at 38

WHO:

CBS News - Richard Piatt, a spokesperson at the Utah Department of Corrections, confirmed that Rossi's victims and family were notified of his death.

NY Post - Nicholas Rossi, also known as Nicholas Alahverdian, was a fugitive rapist.

CBS News - Richard Piatt is a spokesperson for the Utah Department of Corrections.

WHAT:

CBS News - Rossi had appeared in court in a wheelchair and used oxygen during his appearances.

NY Post - Rossi was serving at least 10 years in prison for two sexual assault cases.

CBS News - Rossi died from "complications of an existing medical condition after choosing to discontinue medical treatment."

CBS News - Rossi was convicted in 2025 for two sexual assault cases.

WHERE:

NY Post - Rossi was serving his sentence in Utah.

CBS News - Rossi was extradited to Utah from Scotland.

WHEN:

NY Post - Rossi was convicted in 2025.

CBS News - Rossi died Thursday night, as confirmed by the Utah Department of Corrections.

CBS News - Rossi was arrested in Scotland in 2024 while receiving treatment for COVID-19.

CBS News - An online obituary claimed Rossi died on Feb. 29, 2020.

WHY:

CBS News - Rossi allegedly faked his death to evade rape charges in the U.S.

HOW:

CBS News - Hospital staff recognized Rossi due to his distinctive tattoos, including the crest of Brown University inked on his shoulder, although he never attended the university.

CBS News - Rossi was identified in 2018 through a decade-old DNA rape kit.

CBS News - Hospital staff recognized Rossi in Scotland due to his distinctive tattoos, including the crest of Brown University.

CBS News - Rossi used at least a dozen aliases to evade capture.

(UPDATED June 26, 2026 23:20 UTC)

Richard Piatt, a spokesperson at the Utah Department of Corrections, confirmed that Rossi's victims and family have been notified of his death. Rossi had made court appearances in a wheelchair and required oxygen during those proceedings. Hospital staff identified him thanks to his distinctive tattoos, including the crest of Brown University on his shoulder, despite the fact that he never attended the school.

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(UPDATED June 26, 2026 21:23 UTC)

Nicholas Rossi, also known as Nicholas Alahverdian, was a fugitive rapist who was serving a sentence of at least ten years in Utah for two sexual assault convictions he received in 2025. Rossi died from complications of an existing medical condition after choosing to discontinue medical treatment, as confirmed by Richard Piatt, a spokesperson for the Utah Department of Corrections. He was arrested in Scotland in 2024 while receiving treatment for COVID-19, where hospital staff recognized him due to his distinctive tattoos, including the crest of Brown University.