Special: Nicholas Alahverdian saga told by reporters who covered him for years

Nicholas Alahverdian, who grew up in Rhode Island, famously faked his own death in 2020 before going on the run while wanted for rape in Utah. Authorities eventually tracked him down at a hospital in Scotland, where he had been living under the alias Arthur Knight. “It wasn’t the law that caught him — it was COVID,” White said. “Arthur Knight is also the name of a DJ from Rhode Island from when Nicholas Alahverdian was growing up. He was Sir Arthur Knight, who was on the radio, and you have to wonder if that’s where he stole the name from.” Before becoming known internationally, Alahverdian had already become well known among Rhode Island politicians and journalists, largely for his advocacy on behalf of children living in the state’s child welfare system. Buteau, a former Target 12 investigator, covered Alahverdian throughout that period — all the way up until he received a phone call from someone claiming to be Alahverdian’s wife, telling him he had died. Buteau said Alahverdian frequently called him and other reporters with story ideas and pitches, though he often struggled to get to the point. “You ever meet a guy that inserts a lot of big words, and they don’t really pronounce them well? Well, that was Nicholas,” Buteau said. Buteau also tracked Alahverdian’s trail of cons and criminal offenses across the country leading up to his disappearance. He said whatever positive work Alahverdian may have done in Rhode Island was ultimately overshadowed by the damage he caused over the years. Alahverdian was serving a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted of rape in Utah. He was extradited there after unsuccessfully trying to convince authorities overseas they had the wrong man. Buteau said he knew it was Alahverdian the moment he saw a photo from Scotland, describing him as someone who could be both convincing and ruthless toward people he believed had crossed him. “I talked to several people, and none of them wanted to go on the record because they feared him,” Buteau said. “But they all also brought up that he was charismatic. I never found him to be charismatic, but I think he was a good talker, and with a little information, he could make you believe a lot.” “Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman, Kim Kalunian and Dan McGowan.