Nicholas Rossi, an American man who faked his death and fled to the UK to escape rape charges, has been found guilty of one of the alleged assaults at a court in Utah.
The 38-year-old was accused of sexually assaulting two women in 2008—one in Salt Lake County and the other in Utah County. Rossi denied the charges.
During the three-day trial in Salt Lake County, the court heard testimony from his accuser and her parents.
Rossi declined to testify in his defence.
His accuser told the court that Rossi held her down and “forced me to have sex with him.”
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she began a relationship with Rossi while recovering from a traumatic brain injury in 2008.
She responded to a personal ad Rossi had placed on Craigslist, and the pair were engaged within approximately two weeks, she testified.
However, the relationship soured, and Rossi allegedly became controlling and verbally abusive, the court heard.
On the day of the assault, the woman said Rossi pounded on her car and used his body to prevent her from leaving the garage.
Once inside the house, Rossi allegedly pushed her onto his bed, held her down, and forced her to have sex, she testified.
Rossi appeared in court in a wheelchair, wearing a suit and tie and using an oxygen tank.
Despite prosecutors noting that Rossi had used at least a dozen aliases over the years, his victim identified him in court, saying he was “a little bit heavier, a little bit older” but largely looked the same.
Rossi’s lawyers argued that the accusation was motivated by resentment over the failed relationship.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on 20 October for this case and will face trial in September for the second rape charge in Utah County.
In 2020, Rossi faked his death and fled to the UK to avoid facing criminal charges.
After marrying Miranda Knight in Bristol, the couple moved to Glasgow, where Rossi was ultimately located by police while receiving treatment for COVID-19 in hospital.
Medical staff at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital recognised Rossi from tattoos that had been circulated on an Interpol red notice.
