Connecticut’s former Deputy Budget Director, Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis, has pleaded not guilty to 22 federal charges. Diamantis was arraigned in Hartford on Thursday.
He has been charged with extortion, bribery and making false statements to federal investigators in connection with actions taken while he was head of the state’s school construction grant program. He was arrested by federal officers in Farmington on Thursday morning.
The indictment alleges that while in that civil service role, Diamantis, 67, took and received bribes from three individuals in connection with multi-million dollar school construction projects that he was in charge of.
One of those companies, Construction Advocacy Professionals (“CAP”), hired his daughter Anastasia Diamantis. He also pushed to get her a job with the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.
Federal authorities have been investigating his actions for more than two years.
“This indictment contains allegations of a civil servant who committed multiple felonies, including extorting contractors, demanding and receiving bribes and repeatedly lying to federal agents investigating his conduct," United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut Vanessa Roberts said in a statement. "This kind of criminal behavior can never be tolerated, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative partners will work to uncover it, no matter how long it takes."
Three other individuals connected to the case also pleaded guilty, according to indictments unsealed today. Salvatore Monarca, the president and director of Acranom Masonry, Inc., and John F. Duffy, vice president of Acranom, both pleaded guilty on May 13 to conspiring to bribe Diamantis to obtain masonry contracts on school construction projects.
Antonietta Roy, the owner of Construction Advocacy Professionals, LLC (CAP), pleaded guilty on May 14 to conspiring to bribe Diamantis to obtain business as a construction administrator on school construction projects.
“The depth of deception, collusion and abuse of power by the defendants in this case, as alleged, is glaring,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller said in a statement. “The willingness to manipulate contracts and blatantly steal by abusing a position of public trust is intolerable.”
Diamantis, who also once served as a state representative, was the deputy director of the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) until 2021 — a position appointed by the governor.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont maintains that he removed Diamantis from his position with OPM when he learned of potential wrongdoing.
“The governor has been clear that he has zero tolerance for malfeasance and corruption in government," Lamont’s chief spokesperson Julia Bergman said in a statement after the arraignment on Thursday. "The governor took action in 2021 to remove Mr. Diamantis from his governmental positions when allegations of ethical improprieties surfaced and directed an independent review of the school construction program.
"Since then, several reforms have been made to the program to ensure accountability and restore public trust. The State of Connecticut and its citizens are the victims where there is public corruption, and the governor will continue to support the full scope of resources and investigative tools available to federal authorities in rooting out corruption.”
In December of 2021, Lamont ordered an independent investigation into the hiring of Diamantis’ daughter Anastasia with the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office.
By order of Judge Thomas Farrish, Diamantis is not allowed to leave the state without permission, must remove firearms from his house within the next week, must surrender his passport and cannot contact 23 publicly unnamed witnesses and victims connected to the case. It is unclear if his daughter is one of them.
He was released on a $500,000 bond. Diamantis, who holds a J.D., is being represented by attorney Vincent Provenzano.
If convicted, some of his charges carry prison sentences up to 20 years.
Judge Farrish said jury selection will begin in July.
