Facing 10 years in prison, ex-Connecticut official Kosta Diamantis flees U.S. by boat and plane to Greece

September 18, 2026 / 11:18 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Facing 10 years in prison, ex-Connecticut official Kosta Diamantis flees U.S. by boat and plane to Greece

TL;DR

  • Former Connecticut senior budget official Konstantinos "Kosta" Diamantis has fled the U.S. to Greece before his sentencing for corruption.
  • Diamantis was found guilty on 21 counts of bribery and extortion for extorting private contractors between 2018 and 2021.
  • He fled by boat to the Bahamas and then by plane to London, eventually reaching Greece, utilizing his Greek passport.
  • Diamantis sent an email to his attorney accusing Governor Ned Lamont of weaponizing the justice system against him.
  • Connecticut officials have condemned Diamantis' flight and are taking steps to halt his state pension.
  • Extradition of Diamantis to the U.S. is uncertain due to Greek law prohibiting the extradition of Greek nationals.
  • A new sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 30.
  • Diamantis faces another pending criminal case related to bribery and Medicaid fraud.