Nicholas Rossi fails in bid to overturn extradition to United States

Nicholas Rossi has failed in his bid to avoid extradition to the United States.

The 36-year-old lodged an appeal against the extradition order earlier this year with the High Court, which was heard in Edinburgh last week.

But appeal judges said in a written ruling on Thursday “there is no merit in any of the appellant’s arguments”.

The judges said: “We agree with the sheriff that the appellant’s case is, at its core, a straightforward one. The evidence supporting that the appellant is Nicholas Rossi was overwhelming.

“He did not, nor does he now, produce anything which would suggest to the contrary. The conspiracy theories which he tendered in explanation were properly rejected.”

Rossi is wanted by authorities in Utah for allegedly raping a woman in 2008 and is accused of faking his own death to avoid prosecution.

Scottish ministers signed an order in September giving permission for Rossi to be extradited to the US to face charges, following a lengthy extradition case in the Scottish courts.

Representing himself in court last Thursday, Rossi moved a number of preliminary motions, including one calling for an extension to his appeal period to allow him more time to lead new evidence.

He also moved to be granted bail, and to have the court impose restrictions on the media reporting of his case.

Rossi initially came to the attention of the authorities after he became ill with Covid-19 and was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow in December 2021.

Despite a sheriff ruling that he is Rossi, he claims he is a victim of mistaken identity and is an Irish orphan called Arthur Knight.

Rossi again argued in court last week that he was the subject of mistaken identity and objected to lawyers referring to him by that name, which drew a rebuke from Lady Dorrian.

She reminded Rossi that his identity had already been established through earlier court proceedings and insisted this is the name she will use to address him during the appeal hearing.