A former Connecticut official, Konstantinos 'Kosta' Diamantis, 70, has surfaced in Greece, asserting his innocence in a video interview after fleeing the United States to avoid sentencing for bribery and extortion convictions. Diamantis was found guilty in October 2025 on 21 counts stemming from his leadership of Connecticut’s Office of School Construction Grants & Review.
Prosecutors stated that Diamantis extorted and accepted thousands of dollars in bribes from two firms involved in state-funded school construction projects he oversaw. Facing over a decade in prison, he failed to appear for his sentencing hearing on Thursday. Federal authorities revealed that Diamantis, who was out on a $500,000 bond, had absconded to Greece, where he holds citizenship.
According to prosecutors, Diamantis traveled from Connecticut to Florida, then took a boat to the Bahamas. From there, he allegedly flew to London before reaching his final destination in Greece. He is reported to have used a Greek passport after surrendering his American one following his conviction.
In a video call interview with Connecticut outlet WTNH on Sunday, Diamantis claimed he was the victim of a broad conspiracy orchestrated by Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont's administration. He suggested his conviction was intended to distract from scrutiny the governor faced during the 2022 election regarding no-bid contracts awarded to Sema4 for COVID-19 testing. The governor's wife is a managing director at an investment firm holding shares in Sema4, prompting questions about the contract awards, which the Lamonts have denied were personally motivated.
Diamantis described his conviction as a "scripted act of retribution" and a political maneuver to divert attention from potential wrongdoing within the Lamont administration. "Corruption was what they needed to get me for, and that’s what they were successful at," he told WTNH.
However, legal experts have dismissed Diamantis's claims. Ryan McGuigan, a defense attorney and former state prosecutor, told WTNH that if Diamantis's assertions had merit, they would have been presented in court. The prosecution's case relied on guilty pleas from witnesses who admitted to bribing Diamantis, as well as key evidence like text messages in which Diamantis allegedly threatened to withhold business if payments were not made.
The Connecticut Office of the Attorney General released a statement condemning Diamantis's actions, calling his disappearance a "shameful insult" and vowing to pursue all legal options to revoke or reduce his state pension, as required by law for officials convicted of corruption charges.
Extraditing Diamantis from Greece presents a significant challenge, as Greece has a history of denying extradition for its citizens. While federal prosecutors are exploring potential avenues through the European Union, the process could be lengthy. Previously, a judge denied Diamantis's requests to travel to Greece for a family vacation while he was on trial.
Diamantis stated his intention to continue fighting his conviction from abroad and even expressed hope for a pardon from President Donald Trump. He conveyed a desire to return to the U.S. to see his family and grandchildren, adding, "I do not want to stay in Greece for the rest of my life as a fugitive."