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On the morning he was supposed to stand before a federal judge and answer for a school-construction bribery scheme, Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis was gone.

His lawyer, Norm Pattis, told U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill on Thursday morning that Diamantis had called the night before, said he was in Greece, and would not appear. Federal prosecutors said they could not yet confirm he was in Greece, but their investigation tracked him driving to Florida, taking a boat to Nassau in the Bahamas, and flying to London. Underhill called the travel a clear violation of his bond and said he intends to issue a bench warrant.

Diamantis, 70, a former Democratic state representative, deputy budget director, and chief of Connecticut’s school construction grants office, was convicted in October 2025 on 21 federal counts including bribery, extortion, conspiracy, and lying to investigators.

A jury found he used his authority to shake down contractors on school projects in Hartford, New Britain, and Tolland. He faced an advisory guideline range of 121 to 151 months—more than a decade in prison.

Though prosecutors had warned the court that Diamantis obtained Greek citizenship and a Greek passport after the charged conduct, he remained free on bond. The United States and Greece have an extradition treaty, but Greece generally does not extradite its own citizens.

Governor Ned Lamont did not mince words regarding his former official's flight:

"Kosta Diamantis betrayed the public’s trust and needs to be held accountable for his actions. His repeated efforts to skirt justice are shameful. I hope he is apprehended and made to face the music as soon as possible."

Attorney General William Tong struck an equally sharp note, immediately pivoting to the pension questions taxpayers want answered:

“Kosta Diamantis abused the public trust and will be held accountable. 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.  State law requires that my office take action to revoke or reduce the pension of state or municipal officials convicted of corruption-related charges. We are reviewing all legal options to fully enforce the law.”

In a defiant 10-page email sent to his attorney, Diamantis blasted the case as a political hit and blamed his former boss for the downfall.

“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.

Federal prosecutors are exploring whether European Union channels can help return him. Tong’s office is reviewing legal options to revoke or reduce his state pension. Sentencing is reset for Sept. 30, with or without him.

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