A former senior Connecticut budget official convicted of corruption has fled the U.S. to Greece ahead of his sentencing, federal prosecutors and his attorney confirmed in a court hearing on Thursday.
Konstantinos 'Kosta' Diamantis, 70, a former Democratic state representative and deputy budget director under Gov. Ned Lamont, was scheduled to be sentenced Thursday in Bridgeport federal court. Prosecutors had requested a prison term of 10 to 12 years for extortion and bribery charges stemming from a 2023 conviction.
Diamantis traveled to Greece by boat and plane before the sentencing hearing, according to statements made by his defense counsel and prosecutors. His whereabouts remain unknown as of Friday, with U.S. authorities now seeking his extradition.
Diamantis denies wrongdoing, claims political targeting
In a 10-page email sent to his attorney ahead of the hearing, Diamantis maintained his innocence and alleged that Gov. Ned Lamont had politically weaponized the justice system against him. He described the prosecution as having destroyed his standing, family relationships, and life, while asserting that the trial was unjust.
Prosecutors, however, presented a different account during the hearing. They stated that between 2018 and 2021, Diamantis accepted thousands of dollars in illicit payoffs from private contractors in exchange for securing and retaining lucrative school construction contracts. The charges included 21 federal counts of extortion and bribery, with prosecutors alleging that Diamantis threatened to terminate contracts if contractors did not pay him.
Legal and political fallout
Diamantis was convicted by a federal jury in 2023 after a trial that included testimony from contractors who described a pattern of demands for payments in exchange for contract approvals. His defense team has not publicly detailed a strategy for his extradition or potential legal defense abroad.
Gov. Ned Lamont’s office has not publicly responded to Diamantis’s allegations of political targeting. The governor’s administration has previously emphasized its commitment to transparency and accountability in state contracting processes.
Background: The case and its implications
Diamantis served as a deputy budget director under Lamont’s administration and was also a former Democratic state representative. His case has drawn attention due to the scale of the alleged corruption scheme, which involved multimillion-dollar school construction projects across Connecticut.
Federal sentencing guidelines for the charges Diamantis faced could have resulted in more than a decade in prison, though his actual sentence would have been determined by U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill. His flight has triggered an immediate review by federal authorities, who are now coordinating with international law enforcement to locate and apprehend him.
The U.S. Department of Justice has not yet commented on whether additional charges related to his flight may be pursued. His attorney, Vincent Provenzano, has not responded to requests for further comment.