Overview
- Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis told his lawyer he was in Greece on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, and skipped his scheduled sentencing after prosecutors said he traveled by boat from Florida to the Bahamas and then flew to England.
- U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill issued a bench warrant and set a new sentencing for Sept. 30 that will proceed whether or not Diamantis appears in court.
- Diamantis was convicted last year on 21 federal counts including bribery, extortion, conspiracy, and making false statements for allegedly taking cash payments to steer multimillion-dollar school construction contracts from 2018 to 2021.
- Federal prosecutors have recommended a 10 to 12 year prison term while the defense sought no jail time, and Diamantis has denied wrongdoing in a 10-page email that accused Gov. Ned Lamont of politically motivated prosecution.
- Because Diamantis holds dual U.S.-Greek citizenship and Greek law and precedent often block extradition of nationals, U.S. efforts to return him face major legal obstacles and Connecticut has moved to stop his state pension as officials pursue accountability.