Ex-Connecticut official flees US by boat and plane ahead of corruption sentencing
Por Dave Collins — – World RSS Feed
Ex-Connecticut official flees US by boat and plane ahead of corruption sentencing
The former Democratic state representative was found guilty by a federal jury last year after being charged with extortion
Dave Collins Thursday 17 September 2026 22:32 BST
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A former high-ranking Connecticut budget authority has fled to Greece using a combination of boat and air travel prior to a federal corruption sentencing, according to statements made by prosecutors and defense counsel to a judge on Thursday.
Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis, 70, transmitted a 10-page email to his defense attorney alleging that Gov. Ned Lamont had politically targeted him through the legal system.
In the communication, Diamantis maintained his innocence, writing that the trial had destroyed his standing, family connections, and life.
The hearing in Bridgeport federal court was set to address charges that carry a potential penalty exceeding a decade in prison.
The former Democratic state representative was found guilty by a federal jury last year after being charged with extortion.
Prosecutors established 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.
Following his conviction, he told reporters he feared serving time in prison.
It remains uncertain whether American authorities will be able to compel Diamantis to return, as he holds dual U.S. and Greek citizenship.
Judicial rulings in Greece have historically blocked the extradition of its own citizens.
open image in galleryNeither defense attorney Norman Pattis nor law enforcement officials specified the exact timeline of Diamantis’ departure. Federal prosecutors outlined an escape route that involved traveling by boat from Florida to the Bahamas, followed by a flight to London.
Despite surrendering his American passport, Diamantis managed to secure a Greek travel document. Pattis revealed that his client phoned him on Wednesday evening to state he was located in Greece and would skip the judicial proceedings.
U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill rescheduled the sentencing for Sept. 30, confirming the hearing will proceed regardless of whether the defendant is present.
Connecticut leadership swiftly denounced the flight and initiated procedures to halt Diamantis’ state pension benefits.
“Kosta Diamantis betrayed the public’s trust and needs to be held accountable for his actions,” the governor said in a statement. “His repeated efforts to skirt justice are shameful. I hope he is apprehended and made to face the music as soon as possible.”
State Attorney General William Tong, also a Democrat, added in a statement, “His disappearance this morning is a shameful insult to every person in Connecticut and will not deter our efforts to fully protect the state’s interest and taxpayer dollars.”
Government attorneys requested a prison sentence ranging from 10 to 12 years, whereas Pattis submitted court filings seeking strict release conditions without incarceration.
Speaking to reporters following the session, the defense lawyer expressed surprise over the flight.
“I think that Mr. Diamantis was facing a tough day here today and would have gotten at least four or five years, perhaps 10 to 12,” he said.
“So as a lawyer, I cannot support his decision to take the law into his own hands. But as a fellow human being, I understand why he did what he did.”
Pattis distributed copies of his client’s email to news organizations.
“The injustice that has occurred to me and my family by political weaponization is beyond rational belief,” Diamantis wrote in the email. “I have lost everything that took me an entire lifetime to earn and more. It is devastating to lose your home, your children’s home, your car, your job, the ability to get a job, your law license, your honor, your dignity and pride.”
In the message, Diamantis expressed a hope that President Donald Trump and federal prosecutors in Washington would examine the circumstances of his prosecution.
He alleged that Lamont leveraged “the power of his office and his powerful friendship with President Biden to create an insular system of justice” designed to conceal executive misconduct.
Apart from the school construction case, Diamantis faces separate federal criminal charges involving allegations that he accepted bribes to derail an audit into an eye doctor suspected of Medicaid fraud.
The initial conviction centered on his tenure heading the state’s Office of School Construction Grants and Review. Evidence presented at trial showed he used his official post to demand kickbacks from contractors between 2018 and 2021 in exchange for awarding lucrative work.
Prosecutors proved he threatened to cancel contracts if contractors failed to comply.
Witnesses described transferring cash-filled envelopes to Diamantis in multiple settings, such as a restroom at a high-end restaurant, a doughnut store, and his personal residence. Code terms like “birthday cards,” “pars,” and “birdies” were used in electronic communications to mask the payments.
Taking the stand during his trial, Diamantis acknowledged receiving the funds but asserted they represented lawful compensation for consulting work.
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