Kosta Diamantis Sentenced to Seven Years as Connecticut Moves to Revoke His Pension

Former Connecticut official Konstantinos "Kosta" Diamantis was sentenced in absentia Wednesday to seven years in federal prison, marking a major development in the corruption case that has followed him since his conviction last year.

U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill sentenced Diamantis to 84 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for extortion, bribery, conspiracy and making false statements to federal investigators.

Diamantis, 70, was not present in the Bridgeport courtroom. He remains in Greece after leaving the United States shortly before his original September 17 sentencing hearing.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut, law-enforcement authorities are continuing to seek his return.

Federal prosecutors had requested a prison sentence between 121 and 151 months — approximately 10 to 12½ years.

Judge Underhill imposed a shorter sentence, reportedly taking Diamantis' age into consideration. However, the judge emphasized the seriousness of the offenses, the abuse of public trust and the need to discourage similar conduct by other public officials.

A federal jury convicted Diamantis in October 2025 on 21 felony counts. Prosecutors presented evidence that he demanded and received payments from contractors while directing Connecticut's Office of School Construction Grants and Review.

The government said Diamantis used his public position to assist contractors in obtaining or maintaining work on state-funded school projects. Prosecutors also said he threatened to remove one company from projects if he was not paid.

Diamantis testified that the money he received represented legitimate compensation for consulting, networking and legal services. The jury rejected that defense and convicted him on all counts.

Restitution was not finalized during Wednesday's hearing. The federal court will determine the amount after additional proceedings.

Following the sentencing, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong formally initiated a civil action seeking to revoke Diamantis' taxpayer-funded pension.

State records indicate that the pension is worth approximately $75,000 annually. Diamantis reportedly received more than $340,000 in pension benefits after leaving state government in 2021.

Connecticut law requires the attorney general to seek the reduction or revocation of a public official's pension following a final conviction for certain crimes connected to public employment.

The filing does not mean the pension has already been permanently revoked. A Superior Court judge must determine whether the benefits should be eliminated, reduced or left unchanged after considering the seriousness of the offenses, the financial losses involved and the degree of public trust placed in the official.

Diamantis previously filed his own lawsuit challenging the state's decision to stop depositing his pension payments. His attorney argued that the state acted without first providing sufficient notice and an opportunity for a hearing.

No judge has ruled that Connecticut acted improperly or ordered the pension restored.

Court reporting revealed another important development: Diamantis discussed the possibility of voluntarily returning to the United States before Wednesday's sentencing.

A federal official reportedly waited at the Athens airport on September 29 to escort him onto a flight to New York. Diamantis did not appear.

A federal prosecutor told the court that Diamantis could have returned but chose not to do so.

Diamantis has said publicly that he believes his Greek citizenship and Greece's legal protections may prevent his extradition. However, no Greek court has publicly ruled on his case, and no detention or completed extradition proceeding has been announced.

Federal officials have said they will continue pursuing available options to return him to the United States.

Through a statement read in court by defense attorney Norman Pattis, Diamantis maintained his innocence and alleged that the prosecution was politically motivated.

Those assertions remain Diamantis' allegations. He has not publicly presented evidence establishing a political conspiracy, and Judge Underhill rejected that characterization during the sentencing hearing.

A federal jury has already determined beyond a reasonable doubt that Diamantis committed the 21 offenses for which he was sentenced.

Diamantis also faces charges in a separate federal corruption case involving allegations that he attempted to interfere with a state audit of a medical practice. Those charges remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent in that separate case unless proven guilty.

As of October 1, authorities have not publicly announced any new criminal charge specifically related to his departure from the United States. Diamantis remains wanted, his restitution amount remains undecided and the final disposition of his Connecticut pension will now be determined through civil proceedings.