Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis, a former high-ranking state official facing a potential prison sentence of more than a decade for bribery and extortion, has fled to Greece to evade U.S. law enforcement, according to his defense attorney. Diamantis, 70, is a dual citizen of Greece, a country that does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, according to details provided by CT Mirror.
The Flight to Greece and Extradition Hurdles
Diamantis was scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport for crimes tied to his oversight of state school construction grants. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis, Diamantis traveled by boat from Florida to Nassau in the Bahamas before flying to London. Federal authorities have not tracked his movements since his arrival in the United Kingdom. Prosecutors are currently exploring whether the U.S. Attorney’s office can work through the European Union to secure his extradition, Francis stated in court.
During court proceedings prior to his scheduled sentencing, U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill allowed Diamantis to remain out on bond. Prosecutors had previously warned the judge that Diamantis sought and obtained a Greek passport while awaiting trial. Diamantis’s defense attorney, Norman A. Pattis, informed the court on Thursday that he had spoken with his client the previous evening, at which point Diamantis confirmed he was in Greece and would not attend his sentencing hearing.
Bribery Convictions and Sentencing Guidelines
A federal jury found Diamantis guilty on 21 counts a year prior to his flight, following an investigation into corruption within the state’s school construction grant program. Prosecutors established that Diamantis used his influence as a state official to extort bribes from two companies securing contracts worth $8.5 million for public projects located in Hartford, New Britain, and Tolland.
Federal sentencing guidelines recommended a prison term between 121 and 151 months. Pattis had previously filed arguments asking Judge Underhill to set aside those guidelines, stating in court documents that the recommended penalty “would consume much of Mr. Diamantis’ remaining life.” The ongoing legal proceedings also involved delays related to a second anticipated corruption trial accusing Diamantis of canceling a state audit that targeted Medicaid fraud for a Bristol eye doctor who was a close acquaintance.
Political Claims and Allegations
In a 10-page email sent to his attorney, Diamantis characterized his prosecution as politically motivated and claimed the Department of Justice was weaponized against him, utilizing language mirroring appeals for a presidential pardon. Diamantis blamed Governor Ned Lamont, his former boss, for the federal charges, alleging the case was designed to divert public attention away from the business dealings of the governor and his wife.
“The entire investigation was a politically insulated script written by Lamont, Connecticut DOJ and Connecticut tight knit legal aristocracy hired by Lamont to protect himself and his family from scrutiny and ensure I would be discredited,” Diamantis wrote in the email provided to his lawyer.
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