Konstantinos Diamantis, a 70-year-old former Connecticut deputy budget director convicted on 21 federal charges including bribery and extortion, fled to Greece before his sentencing, which was originally set for Thursday. Prosecutors had requested a prison term of up to 12 years, alleging that between 2018 and 2021, Diamantis extorted private contractors with threats to terminate school construction contracts if they did not pay bribes. Diamantis claims his case is politically motivated and argues the justice system has been weaponized against him by Governor Ned Lamont; however, Connecticut officials have strongly condemned his actions as an attempt to avoid accountability.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Konstantinos "Kosta" Diamantis, a 70-year-old former Connecticut deputy budget director and Democratic state representative, fled the country before his sentencing for federal corruption charges on Thursday. He is accused of accepting bribes from contractors between 2018 and 2021 in exchange for helping them secure school construction contracts. If convicted, Diamantis faced up to 10 to 12 years in prison.
Diamantis escaped using a combination of boat and plane travel to Greece, where he holds dual citizenship. His defense attorney, Norman Pattis, provided an email from Diamantis claiming political persecution by Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. In the message, Diamantis maintained his innocence and claimed that his family had lost their home, his law license, and other possessions due to the legal proceedings.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office requested a significant prison sentence for Diamantis, while he remains defiant, alleging political weaponization of the justice system against him. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong called Diamantis' escape "a shameful insult" to residents and vowed to protect taxpayer interests regardless of his disappearance.
Written for “Fugitive Ex Official Escapes Sentencing” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but 2 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 1 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 17134: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-18
A former Connecticut deputy budget director who was convicted on 21 federal charges related to bribery and extortion fled to Greece before his sentencing hearing in court Thursday, according to his lawyer and prosecutors.
uncertain
who → convict → lawyer
Konstantinos Diamantis, 70, escaped the country before he could have faced 10 to 12 years in prison as requested by the prosecution.
uncertain
he → escape → prosecution
He was accused of extorting private contractors for bribes between 2018 and 2021 in exchange for helping the companies keep and obtain work on school construction contracts.
asserted
companies → accuse → contracts
If he wasn’t paid, Diamantis allegedly threatened to terminate the contracts.
uncertain
Diamantis → pay → contracts
The defendant has maintained his innocence and even accused Gov. Ned Lamont (D-CT) of weaponizing the justice system against him.
“The injustice that has occurred to me and my family by political weaponization is beyond rational belief,” Diamantis wrote in an email provided to news outlets by defense attorney Norman Pattis.
asserted
Diamantis → maintain → Pattis
“I have lost everything that took me an entire lifetime to earn and more.
asserted
that → lose → more
It is devastating to lose your home, your children’s home, your car, your job, the ability to get a job, your law license, your honor, your dignity and pride.”
asserted
It → lose → job
The former state official alleged that Lamont abused the “power of his office and his powerful friendship with President Biden to create an insular system of justice” to protect the Democratic governor’s own wrongdoing.
asserted
Lamont → allege → wrongdoing
In the email, Diamantis called on President Donald Trump and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington to review his case.
asserted
Diamantis → call → case
There is another federal case in which he’s accused of taking bribes to quash a state audit of an eye doctor who allegedly engaged in Medicaid fraud.
uncertain
who → be → fraud
It is unclear exactly when Diamantis fled to Greece, but prosecutors said he first traveled by boat from Florida to the Bahamas and then boarded a flight to England.
uncertain
he → flee → England
The dual U.S.-Greek citizen obtained a Greek passport after surrendering his U.S. passport.
asserted
citizen → obtain → passport
Greece does not allow the extradition of its own nationals to countries not in the European Union, so it’s unlikely the United States can legally force his return to face justice.
asserted
States → allow → justice
Lamont and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, also a Democrat, were quick to condemn the former state budget director’s hasty departure before his sentencing date.
asserted
Lamont → condemn → date
“Kosta Diamantis betrayed the public’s trust and needs to be held accountable for his actions,” the governor said.
asserted
governor → betray → actions
“His repeated efforts to skirt justice are shameful.
asserted
efforts → repeat → justice
I hope he is apprehended and made to face the music as soon as possible.
asserted
he → hope → music
“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,” Tong added.
asserted
Tong → deter → interest
Officials have taken steps to halt the 70-year-old’s state pension payments.
asserted
Officials → take → payments
A new sentencing date has been postponed to Sept. 30, regardless of Diamantis’s presence.
asserted
date → postpone → presence
U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, is presiding over the sentencing.
asserted
Underhill → appoint → sentencing
The Aporia
