Judge Rules American Fugitive Accused of Faking His Own Death Can Be Extradited to U.S.

On Wednesday, a judge in Edinburgh Sheriff Court ruled that an American fugitive accused of faking his own death to avoid a rape charge in Utah can be extradited to the U.S. The man, who has been identified as 35-year-old Nicholas Alahverdian, was arrested in December 2021 at a Glasgow hospital where he was being treated for COVID-19.

Judge Norman McFadyen said that fingerprint and tattoo evidence showed the man was Alahverdian, despite the man’s claims of mistaken identity and insistence that he was an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight. McFadyen said the man’s claims were “implausible” and “fanciful.”

Alahverdian is accused of faking his own death in order to avoid rape and fraud charges in the U.S. He has been living in the U.K. under the alias Nicholas Rossi. He has repeatedly appeared in court and in several television interviews in a wheelchair using an oxygen mask.

The extradition ruling comes after a lengthy legal battle in which Alahverdian’s lawyers argued that he should not be extradited due to his poor health. However, the judge ruled that Alahverdian’s health was not a factor in his decision.

Alahverdian is now expected to be extradited to the U.S. to face the charges against him. It is unclear when he will be extradited or what the outcome of the case will be.