--- title: "Former Connecticut Official Kosta Diamantis Flees to Greece Before Sentencing" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/former-connecticut-official-kosta-diamantis-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/former-connecticut-official-kosta-diamantis-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/former-connecticut-official-kosta-diamantis-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/former-connecticut-official-kosta-diamantis-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-17T21:46:09.264Z" source_reported: "2026-09-17T20:43:55.000Z" updated: "2026-09-17T21:46:09.264Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 61 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-17T21:30:26.483031+00:00" --- # Former Connecticut Official Kosta Diamantis Flees to Greece Before Sentencing *The former budget official, convicted of corruption, is now a fugitive in Greece.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports and 18 digests corroborate the central claim, with specific travel details attributed to prosecutors. - Craft 61 of 100, higher is better. Reporting is clear and coherent, with quotes from officials and the defense attorney. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. The presentation is measured, with a straightforward headline and no sensationalized language. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Former Connecticut budget official Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis, 70, has fled to Greece before his sentencing for corruption. - Diamantis was convicted of extorting private contractors for bribes between 2018 and 2021. - He travelled from Florida to the Bahamas by boat, then by plane to London before reaching Greece. - Connecticut officials are taking steps to stop his state pension payments. Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis, a former Connecticut budget official, has become a fugitive in Greece after fleeing the United States before his sentencing for corruption. Diamantis, 70, was convicted by a federal jury of extorting private contractors for bribes between 2018 and 2021. He was scheduled for sentencing on Thursday in federal court in Bridgeport. Diamantis travelled from Florida to the Bahamas by boat, then took a plane to London before arriving in Greece. His lawyer, Norman Pattis, stated that Diamantis would not attend his sentencing. Federal prosecutors informed a judge that Diamantis had surrendered his U.S. passport but obtained a Greek passport. The prospects of his extradition are uncertain, as Greek law may prevent the extradition of Greek nationals. Connecticut officials have condemned Diamantis' actions and are taking steps to halt his state pension payments. Governor Ned Lamont stated that Diamantis betrayed public trust and his efforts to avoid justice are shameful. State Attorney General William Tong added that his disappearance is an insult to the people of Connecticut. ## Sentencing recommendations Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of 10 to 12 years for Diamantis. His attorney, Norman Pattis, argued for a sentence that did not include prison time, but rather strict conditions of release. Pattis told reporters he was surprised by Diamantis' decision to flee, stating that while he could not support it as a lawyer, he understood it as a human being. ## Diamantis' claims Diamantis sent his attorney a 10-page email accusing Governor Ned Lamont of weaponizing the justice system against him. He denied wrongdoing and claimed his life and reputation were ruined by the prosecution. Diamantis also suggested that Lamont used his office and friendship with President Biden to create an unjust system to protect his own wrongdoing. He expressed hope that former President Donald Trump and the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington would review his case. ## Omissions None of the left-rated reports mention the specific prison sentence sought by prosecutors (10 to 12 years) or the defense's argument for no prison time. None of the right-rated reports mention Diamantis' email accusing Governor Ned Lamont of weaponizing the justice system or his claims about President Biden. ## Who covered it Shares of the 19 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 53% (10) - Centre: 36% (7) - Right: 11% (2) 1 of 20 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-17T21:30:26.483031+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 2 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-17T22:15:16.960Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports focused on Diamantis fleeing the country before his sentencing for corruption. They noted his conviction for extorting private contractors and his travel route via the Bahamas and London to Greece. These reports also highlighted that Diamantis holds dual American and Greek citizenship, raising questions about extradition. Connecticut officials' condemnation of his actions and steps to stop his pension payments were also featured. Some reports mentioned Diamantis' email accusing Governor Ned Lamont of weaponizing the justice system. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports also led with former Connecticut budget official Kosta Diamantis fleeing to Greece before his sentencing for corruption. They detailed his conviction for extorting contractors and his flight path by boat and plane. The dual citizenship and potential extradition issues were noted. Connecticut officials' reactions, including efforts to stop his pension, were included. Some reports mentioned Diamantis' email to his attorney, which accused Governor Ned Lamont of political weaponization. ### Right - The right-rated reports stated that former Connecticut budget official Kosta Diamantis fled to Greece before his sentencing for corruption. They mentioned his conviction for extorting private contractors and his travel by boat and plane. These reports also noted that Diamantis holds dual American and Greek citizenship, which could impede extradition. Connecticut officials' actions to stop his state pension payments were also included. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 7 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 11 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Boston.com](https://boston.com/news/crime/2026/09/17/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [PressNewsAgency](https://pressnewsagency.org/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/ned-lamont-democratic-greece-donald-trump-bahamas-b3052126.html) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/corruption-trial-fugitive-diamantis-greece-3f3f0a411f5c2999da7e72b1f9eecc82) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [abc News](https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/connecticut-official-flees-greece-sentencing-corruption-136539204) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/news/2026/09/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption – WTOP News - [MY Northwest](https://mynorthwest.com/national/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption/4277100) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [Bangor Daily News](https://bangordailynews.com/2026/09/17/nation/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/ned-lamont-democratic-greece-donald-trump-bahamas-b3052126.html) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [Oskaloosa Herald](https://oskaloosa.com/news/national_news/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption/article_4d0f8c54-0264-509b-9b4f-2339ee985189.html) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [Henry Herald](https://henryherald.com/news/world_nation/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption/article_22648ecf-8139-53ce-8f67-42c4662ab545.html) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [Daily News-Record](https://dnronline.com/associated_press/national/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption/article_bad23260-e9e3-555d-b19a-3425eacd3d52.html) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [The Batesville Daily Guard](https://guardonline.com/news/national/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption/article_47cec12c-d52a-529d-8ba0-5fae66e5e37e.html) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/united-states/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption/article_381ab60c-f511-5718-ba79-b88bcd328c7d.html) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [Hartford Courant](https://courant.com/2026/09/17/former-ct-official-facing-possible-lengthy-prison-time-flees-country) — Former CT official facing possible lengthy prison time flees country - [The CT Mirror](https://ctmirror.org/2026/09/17/kosta-diamantis-flees-to-greece-attorney-says) — Kosta Diamantis flees to Greece, attorney says - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/09/17/ex-connecticut-official-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing-for-corruption) — Ex-Connecticut official flees to Greece before sentencing for corruption - [Connecticut Public](https://ctpublic.org/news/2026-09-17/kosta-diamantis-flees-to-greece-attorney-says) — Kosta Diamantis flees to Greece, attorney says - [NBC Connecticut](https://nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/kosta-diamantis-attorney-says-hes-in-greece-on-day-hes-supposed-to-be-sentenced/3775958) — Kosta Diamantis' attorney says he's in Greece on day he's supposed to be sentenced ## Questions **Why did Kosta Diamantis flee the country?** Kosta Diamantis fled to Greece before his sentencing for corruption. He was convicted of extorting private contractors for bribes between 2018 and 2021. His attorney stated that Diamantis was facing a tough sentencing, and while the lawyer could not support his decision to flee, he understood it from a human perspective. **How did Kosta Diamantis travel to Greece?** Prosecutors stated that Diamantis travelled by boat from Florida to the Bahamas, then boarded a plane to London before reaching Greece. He had surrendered his U.S. passport but obtained a Greek passport. **Can Kosta Diamantis be extradited back to the U.S.?** It is unclear if Diamantis can be extradited. He holds both American and Greek citizenship, and Greek courts have previously upheld claims that the extradition of Greek nationals is forbidden. **What actions are Connecticut officials taking?** Connecticut officials are taking steps to stop Kosta Diamantis' state pension payments. Governor Ned Lamont condemned his actions as a betrayal of public trust, and State Attorney General William Tong called his disappearance a shameful insult. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/former-connecticut-official-kosta-diamantis-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Former Connecticut Official Kosta Diamantis Flees to Greece Before Sentencing", https://mediabias.news/politics/former-connecticut-official-kosta-diamantis-flees-to-greece-before-sentencing