Wheelchair-bound ‘FBI fugitive’ who ‘faked his own death and fled to Scotland to dodge rape charges in the US’ will have his fingerprints taken in a bid to prove who he is
- A man who claims he is not the person US prosecutors are looking for on a rape charge in Utah will have his fingerprints taken in an effort to prove who he is
- US prosecutors have said that the 34-year-old, who claims to be Arthur Knight, is actually Nicholas Rossi who is wanted on rape charges in Utah
- He said he would agree to having his prints taken, but asked that Police Scotland not be the ones to do it
- The man is due back in court on August 11, and remains in custody
A wheelchair-bound man accused of faking his own death and fleeing to Scotland to avoid rape charges in the United States has agreed to have his fingerprints taken in a bid to prove who he is.
U.S. prosecutors have said that the 34-year-old is Nicholas Rossi – who allegedly raped a 21-year-old in Utah in 2008 and is wanted by the FBI for a slew of other sexual assaults on women in Rhode Island, Ohio and Massachusetts.
But he claims he is actually Arthur Knight, a victim of mistaken identity who has never actually been to the United States.
The man was apprehended in Glasgow earlier this year after being admitted to the hospital with COVID and has remained in custody ever since – as a Salt Lake County District Attorney issued new charges against Rossi.
He appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday via video link, where Sheriff Norman McFadyen said his prints would be taken by Police Scotland ‘in the interests of justice’ and as a ‘belt and braces’ measure.
He is also set to go on trial in August for allegedly threatening two hospital medics last week.
An alleged fugitive who is said to have faked his own death to dodge US sex charges will have his fingerprints taken in an effort to prove who he is
Throughout the 74-minute hearing on Thursday, the suspect, who denied that he was Nicholas Rossi when asked at the start of proceedings, repeatedly asked for oxygen.
Representing himself, the man said: ‘I can’t think properly or address my argument because I don’t have any oxygen and I have not for nearly 36 hours and I’m hypoxic.’
But Sheriff McFadyen said: ‘I have been told your saturation levels have been tested and they are normal.’
The suspect then told the court that they were using ‘a Poundland’ oximeter, a medical device which measures the amount of oxygen in blood.
The suspect, who was in a wheelchair, was last week charged with threatening two hospital medics at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Procurator Fiscal Julie Clark told the court that he has had his fingerprints taken in relation to that case, but it was the opinion of the Lord Advocate that they should not be used for the extradition matter, so another sample must be provided.
The man said he would agree to providing his prints, but said he did not want Police Scotland to be the ones doing so.
Sheriff McFadyen said the warrant was granted ‘for fingerprints to be taken by officers from Police Scotland at Her Majesty’s Prison Edinburgh. I will make arrangements for officers to attend for that purpose.’
He also said the next hearing of the extradition case would be adjourned until August 11, after the hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court into the allegations he threatened two medics.
He was remanded in custody.
Nicholas Rossi (pictured) is accused of faking his death from cancer in the US to avoid a sexual assault charge, before fleeing to Scotland
The hearing comes as U.S. authorities charged fugitive Rossi with another count of rape.
The Salt Lake County district attorney’s office said a no-bail warrant had been issued for the arrest of Rossi, and gave several aliases including Arthur Knight.
District attorney Sim Gill said: ‘We are working with the Utah County attorney’s office and the US attorney on the extradition of Nicholas Rossi from Scotland.
‘The presumption of innocence applies, Nicholas Rossi remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.’
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