Convicted Connecticut official Konstantinos Diamantis flees to Greece before sentencing
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- Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis, 70, fled the U.S. and is now a fugitive in Greece, according to his lawyer and prosecutors.
- Diamantis was scheduled for federal sentencing Thursday in Bridgeport and could have faced more than 10 years in prison.
- He was convicted by a federal jury last year of extorting private contractors for thousands of dollars in bribes from 2018 to 2021 tied to multimillion-dollar school construction contracts.
- Federal prosecutors said Diamantis traveled by boat from Florida to the Bahamas, then boarded a plane to London before going to Greece.
- Diamantis holds both American and Greek citizenship; Greek courts have upheld that extradition of Greek nationals is forbidden, making his return unclear.
- Konstantinos Diamantis was convicted on 21 federal charges related to bribery and extortion.
- Diamantis fled to Greece before his sentencing hearing, according to his lawyer and prosecutors.
- Prosecutors had requested a 10 to 12 year prison sentence for Diamantis.
Konstantinos Diamantis, a former Connecticut deputy budget director convicted on 21 federal counts of bribery and extortion, fled to Greece before his scheduled sentencing hearing, according to his lawyer and prosecutors (per Washington Examiner).
Prosecutors had urged a 10- to 12-year prison term, and court officials expected Diamantis to be sentenced before he departed the country (per Washington Examiner).
Federal authorities say Diamantis coerced private contractors between 2018 and 2021, threatening to terminate school construction contracts unless he received bribes; those allegations formed the core of the 21-count federal case that led to his conviction (per Washington Examiner).
His flight occurred after the jury verdict but before the formal imposition of sentence, leaving prosecutors and local authorities to describe him as having escaped while defense counsel provided an email from Diamantis denying guilt (per Washington Examiner). Diamantis’s lawyer, Norman Pattis, delivered the email in which Diamantis asserted his innocence and accused Gov.
Ned Lamont of political weaponization; prosecutors counter that he absconded to avoid the substantial prison term they recommended (per Washington Examiner).
The case centers on alleged pay-to-play conduct tied to school construction contracts, a pattern prosecutors say took place over multiple years and involved threats to terminate contracts if bribes were not paid (per Washington Examiner).
The immediate consequence is procedural: sentencing cannot proceed in his absence and authorities must pursue avenues to secure his return or to proceed with legal remedies available for defendants who flee post-conviction (per Washington Examiner).
Reporting to date includes the defendant’s age and the prosecution’s sentencing request but does not provide details about how he left the United States, whether he used a passport or other travel documents, or whether Greek authorities have been notified or taken action (per Washington Examiner).
Diamantis’s case raises questions about enforcement after conviction and the mechanics of international cooperation in returning fugitives who depart before sentencing; Connecticut officials and federal prosecutors will need to decide whether to seek extradition from Greece or pursue other legal steps to resolve the pending sentence (per Washington Examiner).
Left- and right-leaning outlets are covering this story differently — in which facts to emphasize, which context to include, and how to frame causes and consequences.