Man Accused Of Faking Death And Fleeing U.s. Convicted Of Rape

A man accused of faking his ain decease and fleeing nan United States to debar intersexual battle and fraud allegations was convicted of rape successful Utah connected Wednesday, nan Associated Press reported.

A Salt Lake County assemblage recovered Nicholas Alahverdian, who has been identified and charged by authorities successful Utah arsenic Nicholas Rossi, blameworthy aft 3 days of testimony. Deliberations began Wednesday.

He will beryllium sentenced successful October, nan Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Alahverdian faces a 2nd rape proceedings successful adjacent Utah County scheduled for September.

In 2022 — 2 years aft an online obituary stated that Alahverdian died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma — Alahverdian was arrested successful Scotland nether nan sanction Arthur Knight.

Speaking pinch a British accent and appearing successful a wheelchair, he denied that he was Alahverdian and claimed that he was an Irish orphan who had go a businessman.

In his opening statement, nan charismatic successful nan Salt Lake County lawsuit said that Alahverdian admitted his existent personality nether oath past year. He accused Alahverdian of raping a 24-year-old female successful 2008 aft a whirlwind romance and engagement.

At trial, nan unfortunate testified that Alahverdian quickly became controlling and mean aft she bought their rings and lent him money for rent. When she removed nan ringing and told him their narration was complete they fought and he yet assaulted her, she testified.

Alahverdian’s defense lawyer, MacKenzie Potter, compared nan allegations to an “old puzzle from nan thrift store,” saying that “not each nan pieces are there.”

The victim’s communicative had changed complete time, Potter said, and it can’t beryllium verified.

Alahverdian, who was raised successful Rhode Island’s foster younker strategy and later became an outspoken adjutant successful that state’s legislature, was antecedently accused aliases convicted successful different battle and activity crimes cases involving women he was successful relationships with.

In a lawsuit successful Massachusetts successful 2010, a female he was joined to astatine nan clip told authorities he held her down, grabbed her neck, struck her successful nan look and refused to fto her time off their location pursuing an statement complete a crying baby.

Alahverdian pleaded nary title to misdemeanor home battle and was sentenced to probation.

In Ohio successful 2008, a female whom Alahverdian met connected MySpace accused him of sexually assaulting her while stepping to people astatine a section organization college. He denied nan allegation and was charged pinch nationalist indecency and intersexual imposition, a misdemeanor crime indicating intersexual interaction against a person’s will.

After a trial, Alahverdian was fined and ordered to registry arsenic a activity offender.

The 2nd Utah case, besides from 2008, involves a female who said they’d started making love aft they met connected MySpace. An affidavit successful support of an apprehension warrant shows that she told authorities that she collapsed it disconnected aft he became progressively fierce and borrowed money without paying her back.

On Sept. 13 of that year, she said she went to his location aft he said he’d salary her back, according to nan affidavit. He alternatively raped her, according to nan document.

A intersexual battle kit was completed nan adjacent day, authorities person said, but a backlog successful testing meant that Alahverdian was not identified arsenic a fishy until a decade later. Alahverdian has pleaded not blameworthy successful that case.