Kosta Diamantis, the former Connecticut state budget director, is currently at large after fleeing the United States to avoid sentencing in a federal bribery and extortion case. Diamantis, who was scheduled to appear in court in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Thursday, September 17, 2026, instead contacted his defense attorney, Norm Pattis, to announce that he had left the country. According to reports, Diamantis traveled by boat to the Bahamas, then flew to London before proceeding to Greece, where he holds dual citizenship. This action violates a court order prohibiting him from international travel while his verdict was pending. Federal prosecutors are actively working to locate Diamantis and bring him back to the United States. Former police detective Brian Foley stated that federal resources are being dedicated to finding the fugitive, who is now on every fugitive list in the U.S. and overseas. The Connecticut Attorney General’s office is exploring legal options to hold Diamantis accountable, noting that his disappearance is a shameful insult to the public. Additionally, Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon has discontinued Diamantis’s monthly pension payments following confirmation of his flight. Diamantis was convicted in October 2025 on 21 counts of bribery and extortion related to school construction projects, where he allegedly accepted cash payments from subcontractors in exchange for awarding contracts. He faces up to ten years in prison. Authorities are also investigating a separate Medicaid fraud scheme involving a Bristol eye doctor. The U.S. Department of Justice and Connecticut officials are coordinating efforts to utilize international treaties and legal mechanisms to secure Diamantis’s return for sentencing.