U.S. Marshals are searching for the former Connecticut official after he failed to appear in federal court and his sentencing was postponed.
BRIDGEPORT, CT — Former Connecticut official Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis fled the United States for Greece and failed to appear for his federal corruption sentencing Thursday, prompting a bench warrant and an international effort to locate him, according to his attorney, prosecutors and law enforcement officials.
Diamantis, 70, had been scheduled to appear Sept. 17 before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport after a federal jury convicted him in October 2025 on 21 counts involving bribery, extortion, conspiracy and false statements. Prosecutors were seeking a prison term of roughly 10 to 12 years. The judge postponed sentencing until Sept. 30 and indicated the proceeding could go forward even if Diamantis remains outside the country.
Defense attorney Norm Pattis told the court that Diamantis contacted him Wednesday evening and said he was in Greece and would not appear for sentencing. Prosecutors said their investigation traced a route that took Diamantis from Connecticut to Florida, then by boat to the Bahamas and by air to London. Authorities believe he continued to Greece and traveled using a Greek passport. His U.S. passport had previously been surrendered.
The Connecticut U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force is leading the effort to locate Diamantis, working with the FBI and international law enforcement. His failure to appear resulted in a federal warrant tied to his violation of release conditions. Diamantis had remained free on bond while awaiting sentencing despite earlier concerns raised in court about his Greek citizenship and passport. Prosecutors had previously opposed his requests to travel to Greece.
The conviction stems from Diamantis’ tenure overseeing Connecticut’s school construction program. Federal prosecutors said he used his position to solicit payments and other benefits from contractors while helping companies obtain or retain work connected to publicly funded school projects. A federal jury found him guilty after a 2025 trial. Diamantis has denied wrongdoing and continued to challenge the prosecution after the verdict.
Before missing court, Diamantis sent Pattis a lengthy email in which he maintained his innocence and accused government officials of pursuing a politically motivated case against him. He specifically criticized Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and the federal Justice Department. Those assertions are Diamantis’ claims; the jury convicted him after hearing evidence presented by prosecutors and the defense. State and federal officials have rejected his characterization of the case.
The flight also raised questions about Diamantis’ state retirement benefits. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said state law requires his office to pursue action to revoke or reduce pensions involving public officials convicted of corruption-related offenses. State officials moved to stop payments after Diamantis disappeared. Tong said his office would continue reviewing legal options involving the pension and the state’s financial interests.
Bringing Diamantis back to the United States could involve a complicated international legal process. The United States and Greece have an extradition framework, including a bilateral treaty modified under a U.S.-European Union agreement. How those provisions would apply to Diamantis, who holds Greek as well as U.S. citizenship, would depend on Greek law, the terms of any U.S. request and decisions by Greek authorities. Officials had not announced Friday that Diamantis was in custody or that an extradition proceeding had begun.
Diamantis also faces a separate federal prosecution involving allegations that he improperly intervened in a Connecticut audit of a Medicaid provider. He has pleaded not guilty in that case, and the charges remain allegations unless proved in court. His departure creates new uncertainty around that proceeding while authorities pursue him over his failure to appear in the school construction case.
Underhill has rescheduled Diamantis’ corruption sentencing for Sept. 30. As of Friday, U.S. Marshals were continuing their search, and authorities had not publicly confirmed his precise location in Greece or announced that he had been detained.
Author note: Last updated September 18, 2026.