Fugitive Ex-Official Flees
Former Connecticut Official Flees to Greece Ahead of Federal Sentencing
Anonymous
Key Points
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Prosecutors said Diamantis targeted two contractors, Acranom Masonry Inc. and Constructional Advocacy Professionals LLC, soliciting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes and threatening to exclude them from lucrative projects if they did not comply.
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Diamantis’ prior government roles included serving as Connecticut’s deputy state budget director and as a state representative, in addition to leading the Office of School Construction Grants and Review.
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Defense attorney Norman Pattis argued that a prison sentence would compound penalties Diamantis already faces, including financial ruin, loss of his law license and career, public disgrace, reduced income and likely pension forfeiture; Pattis instead requested home detention, monitoring and community service.
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Diamantis had told the court after his trial that his Greek passport was in Greece while he dealt with property inherited from his late father, a detail that became significant after prosecutors said he used that passport to leave the country.
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Although Greece rarely extradites its own citizens, the United States and Greece have an extradition treaty, potentially providing a legal framework for seeking Diamantis’ return.
Kosta Diamantis, a 70-year-old former Connecticut school construction official, fled the country before his federal sentencing, evading prosecutors who sought 10 to 12 years in prison. iHeart reported that Diamantis, who holds dual U.S.-Greek citizenship, allegedly drove to Florida, traveled by boat to the Bahamas, and flew through London to Greece using a Greek passport he was supposed to surrender. Judge Stefan Underhill issued a bench warrant and rescheduled sentencing for September 30.
Diamantis was convicted on 21 counts including bribery, extortion, and conspiracy for pressuring contractors and accepting bribes to steer roughly $8.5 million in state-funded school construction work. His attorney requested home detention and community service instead of prison time. Greece rarely extradites its own citizens, but a U.S.-Greece extradition treaty may complicate his escape.
How Diamantis Allegedly Escaped Federal Authorities
Prosecutors detailed a carefully planned route out of the country. Diamantis drove from Connecticut to Florida, then traveled by boat to the Bahamas before flying through London to reach Greece. iHeart reported he used a Greek passport that he had been court-ordered to surrender. The judge found he violated his bond conditions by fleeing and leaving no forwarding address.
A Decade of Bribery and Extortion Schemes
Diamantis pressured two contractors—Acranom Masonry Inc. and Constructional Advocacy Professionals LLC—to pay tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. He threatened to exclude them from lucrative school construction projects if they refused to comply. Over time, he steered roughly $8.5 million in state-funded work through this corrupt scheme, prosecutors found.
A Prominent Career Built on Abuse of Power
Diamantis held several high-ranking Connecticut posts before his fall. He served as deputy state budget director, state representative, and led the Office of School Construction Grants and Review. His position gave him direct authority over which contractors received state construction contracts. Defense attorney Norman Pattis argued that conviction had already ruined Diamantis financially and professionally.
Pattis requested home detention, monitoring, and community service instead of prison, citing Diamantis' financial ruin, loss of his law license, career destruction, and likely pension forfeiture. Prosecutors rejected this plea and sought the 10 to 12-year sentence.
Extradition Fight and Pension Recovery Ahead
Greece rarely extradites its own citizens, a legal principle that could shield Diamantis from prosecution. However, the United States and Greece have an extradition treaty that may provide a legal pathway to force his return. Sentencing is rescheduled for September 30, pending his capture or surrender. A separate trial is expected in December, and Connecticut is pursuing action against his pension.
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