Connecticut Ex-Budget Official Fleeing to Greece Ahead of Sentencing

Former Connecticut budget authority Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis fled to Greece before his sentencing, using a combination of boat and air travel. Prosecutors and defense counsel told a judge that Diamantis, 70, had transmitted a 10‑page email alleging that Gov. Ned Lamont had politically targeted him through the legal system. He claimed the trial destroyed his standing, family, and life. The hearing in Bridgeport federal court was scheduled to address charges that could carry more than a decade in prison.

Diamantis was found guilty last year by a federal jury of extortion after prosecutors proved that between 2018 and 2021 he accepted thousands of dollars in illicit payoffs from private contractors in exchange for securing and retaining lucrative school‑building projects. He also faces separate federal charges related to bribes that allegedly derailed an audit of an eye doctor suspected of Medicaid fraud. Witnesses described cash‑filled envelopes being handed to him in various settings, and electronic communications used coded terms to mask the payments.

The defense lawyer, Norman Pattis, said Diamantis had called him on Wednesday to say he was in Greece and would skip the proceedings. Pattis distributed copies of the email to news outlets and noted that while he could not support Diamantis’ decision to evade justice, he understood the defendant’s motives. U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill rescheduled the sentencing for Sept. 30, confirming the hearing would proceed regardless of Diamantis’ presence. Connecticut officials reacted strongly, with Gov. Ned Lamont calling the flight a betrayal of public trust and State Attorney General William Tong condemning the disappearance as an insult to the state.

Diamantis surrendered his American passport but secured a Greek travel document, and he holds dual U.S. and Greek citizenship. Greek courts have historically blocked extradition of its own citizens, leaving it uncertain whether American authorities can compel his return. The state has begun procedures to halt his pension benefits, and federal prosecutors are seeking a 10‑ to 12‑year prison sentence, while the defense seeks strict release conditions without incarceration.