Listen Now: I Am Not Nicholas - American Scandal

Summary5 min read

American Scandal — Listen Now: I Am Not Nicholas
Release Date: July 22, 2026
Host: Lindsay Graham (clip hosted by Jane McSorley)

Episode Overview

In this preview episode of American Scandal, investigative journalist Jane McSorley introduces listeners to her gripping podcast series, I Am Not Nicholas. The story unpacks a tangled real-life case of alleged mistaken identity that began in a Glasgow COVID-19 ward, involving a man accused of being American fugitive Nicholas Rossi, who fiercely claims he is actually Arthur Knight, an Irish orphan. McSorley recounts her four-and-a-half-year investigative journey, exploring how reality and deception blur, and the fallout that ensues when the truth is in question.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Start of the Investigation

Discovery of the Case ([00:00]):
- Jane McSorley describes stumbling on the story in January 2022, finding it “unbelievable” that a man arrested in Glasgow was accused by police of being Nicholas Rossi, a fugitive wanted for rape in Utah, while he insisted he was Arthur Knight.
- Quote:
  
  “I immediately thought, this is unbelievable. A man had been arrested in a Glasgow Covid ward. Police were saying he was a fugitive called Nicholas Rossi, who was wanted for rape in Utah. But he was claiming to be an Irish orphan called Arthur Knight.” (Jane McSorley, [00:11])
Initial Steps as a Journalist ([00:32]):
- Jane shares her resolve to dig into the case, acknowledging the unpredictability and labor of knocking on doors and conducting interviews.
- Quote:
  
  “I was seeing this as months and months of work… You just don’t know what’s going to happen when somebody answers that door.” (Jane McSorley, [00:36])

Interviews and Early Reactions

Interview Surprises ([00:39]):
- Reflects on the strangeness and shock respondents faced, punctuated by a dramatic reaction:
  
  “Oh. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. He’s not dead. No way. I knew he was still alive. I knew right away. It was very strange. It was very strange.” (Unnamed interviewees, [00:40])
Alleged Victim Testimony ([00:46]):
- A witness or possible victim reveals being locked in a bathroom but states:
  
  “He has never hurt me, never touched me. He doesn’t abuse me.” ([00:46])
Media and Public Confusion ([00:50]):
- There’s confusion around identity; Jane notes:
  
  “A case of mistaken identity. I mean, what on earth is going on? It really is an unfortunate situation. I cannot get my head around the magnitude of this. It is beginning to become a storm.” ([00:50])

Courtroom Scene & Publicity

First Encounter at Court ([01:10]):
- Jane closely follows the case, eager to see “Arthur Knight” appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for a bail hearing.
- Her vivid description of his appearance catches fellow journalists off guard:
  
  “Arthur Knight is wheeled in. He was in a wheelchair and he had burgundy pajamas on. He had a burgundy matching dressing gown and he even had a burgundy cloth covering his entire head so you could not see his face. It was just like this burgundy mass on wheels.” ([01:19]) “He had socks on, he had no slippers on… I was blown away. I was with a group of journalists and we’re all looking at each other thinking, what on earth is this story? What on earth is this man all about?” ([01:29])
Notable Courtroom Behavior ([01:38]):
- Knight’s frail health is discussed: COVID, use of oxygen, aged appearance—described as “34...looks like he could be 64.” He wore “round black John Lennon style glasses” and was visually striking.
- Describes his conduct:
  
  “He had complete disrespect for the court proceedings. He repeatedly, repeatedly interrupted the prosecutor, his own lawyer, and shockingly, the sheriff, the sheriff, the judge… And it started from the outset.” “He asks him, are you Nicholas Rossi? And he said, no, I’m Arthur Knight.” ([01:53]) “He was told off by the sheriff at least twice, if not three or four times. So that’s how it started.” ([02:04])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“I immediately thought, this is unbelievable.”
(Jane McSorley, [00:11])
“Oh, my God. He’s not dead. No way. I knew he was still alive. I knew right away. It was very strange.”
(Unnamed interviewee, [00:44])
“A case of mistaken identity. I mean, what on earth is going on?”
(Jane McSorley, [00:50])
“Arthur Knight is wheeled in... this burgundy mass on wheels.”
(Jane McSorley, [01:19])
“He had complete disrespect for the court proceedings... And it started from the outset.”
(Jane McSorley, [01:53])
“He asks him, are you Nicholas Rossi? And he said, no, I’m Arthur Knight.”
(From court exchange, [01:55])

Important Timestamps

[00:00] – Jane McSorley introduces the podcast and describes her discovery of the case
[00:40] – Interview snippets that highlight disbelief and surprise from those who knew the man
[00:50] – McSorley articulates confusion and the magnitude of the scandal
[01:10] – McSorley recounts her first sighting of Arthur Knight at court
[01:38] – Detailed description of Knight’s physical appearance and erratic courtroom behavior
[01:53] – Reveals Knight’s insistent denials and clashes with the court

Tone and Storytelling Style

Jane McSorley’s narration is earnest and relentlessly curious, laced with a blend of shock, intrigue, and skepticism. The episode moves at a brisk pace, filled with direct quotes from interviews and Jane's own candid observations, capturing the bewilderment and spectacle of a case that has confounded media, law enforcement, and the public.

Conclusion

The preview serves as a dramatic introduction to a podcast series that promises a thorough, years-long investigation into the layers of a high-profile, transatlantic scandal. Through vivid scene-setting and revealing first-person reporting, Jane McSorley invites listeners to question identity, truth, authority, and what happens when the “unbelievable” turns out to be real.

To continue the story, follow I Am Not Nicholas on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Transcript1 lines

[00:00]
A
Hi, I'm journalist Jane McSorley and I'm about to play you a clip from my podcast, I am not Nicholas. I came across this story as I was scrolling the morning News back in January 2022, and I immediately thought, this is unbelievable. A man had been arrested in a Glasgow Covid ward. Police were saying he was a fugitive called Nicholas Rossi, who was wanted for rape in Utah. But he was claiming to be an Irish orphan called Arthur Knight. I thought, I really want to look into this. And would you believe I ended up following this story for over four and a half years? Here's a taster. I wanted to ask if you knew the American man that lived here. I was seeing this as months and months of work. Hello, my name is Jane McSorley. Do you have just a few minutes now? And it has become practically a year. You just don't know what's going to happen when somebody answers that door. Oh. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. He's not dead. No way. I knew he was still alive. I knew right away. It was very strange. It was very strange. He would lock me in the upstairs bathroom. All I had was the running water. He has never hurt me, never touched me. He doesn't abuse me. A case of mistaken identity. I mean, what on earth is going on? It really is an unfortunate situation. I cannot get my head around the magnitude of this. It is beginning to become a storm. Top of my list when I start work on the story in January 2022 is I want to see this man, Arthur Knight. Well, he claims to be Arthur Knight, an innocent Irishman living in Glasgow. The US authorities say he is really an American fugitive called Nicholas Rossi. I hear he's due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court a few days later for a bail hearing. The court is just a 10 minute bike ride away from my house and I'll be there. It was just the most unbelievable sight. I was outside the courtroom, Arthur Knight is wheeled in. He was in a wheelchair and he had burgundy pajamas on. He had a burgundy matching dressing gown and he even had a burgundy cloth covering his entire head so you could not see his face. It was just like this burgundy mass on wheels. He had socks on, he had no slippers on. So it was just that first image of him. I was blown away. I was with a group of journalists and we're all looking at each other thinking, what on earth is this story? What on earth is this man all about? So then we all get into the courtroom. He's got at least two paramedics there, there Must have been prison officers there. And Miranda, his wife, was there and the cloth is gone from his head. Clearly Arthur Knight wasn't well. You know, he'd had Covid very badly and he was in and out of intensive. He had a mask covering his nose and his mouth. He had oxygen going into his mask. He's 34. He looks like he could be 64. He's small, he's round, he's hunched over. He's got greasy lank hair. He's got this beard that's peppered with gray. He's very pasty white. He's got these round black John Lennon style glasses. He had complete disrespect for the court proceedings. He repeatedly, repeatedly interrupted the prosecutor, his own lawyer, and shockingly, the sheriff, the sheriff, the judge. And it started from the outset. He asks him, are you Nicholas Rossi? And he said, no, I'm Arthur Knight. And then he continued unabated. And he was told off by the sheriff at least twice, if not three or four times. So that's how it started. But are you curious to know how it ends? Follow I am Not Nicholas on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts for series one and series two. I am not the Trials. You can binge all episodes early and ad free by joining Audible on the Audible app or Apple Podcasts.