A former Connecticut state budget official, Konstantinos "Kosta" Diamantis, 70, has fled the United States and is now a fugitive in Greece. Diamantis, a former senior budget official for Connecticut's Democratic governor and a former state representative, was recently convicted by a federal jury of extorting private contractors for thousands of dollars in bribes between 2018 and 2021. In exchange, he allegedly helped companies secure multimillion-dollar school construction contracts. He could have faced more than 10 years in prison during a sentencing hearing scheduled for Thursday in Bridgeport, but he skipped the proceeding. Diamantis sent his attorney a 10-page email before his sentencing, accusing Gov. Ned Lamont of using the justice system against him. He denied wrongdoing and claimed that his life, reputation, and family relationships were ruined by the prosecution. He continues to maintain his innocence despite his arrest. According to authorities, Diamantis traveled by boat from Florida to the Bahamas and then boarded a plane to London. He holds both American and Greek citizenship, and Greek courts have ruled that Greek nationals cannot be extradited. His lawyer, Norman Pattis, confirmed that Diamantis had informed him by phone on Wednesday night that he was in Greece and would not attend the sentencing. A new sentencing date was set for Sept. 30, which will proceed regardless of Diamantis's presence. Connecticut officials strongly condemned Diamantis for fleeing the country and have taken steps to halt his state pension payments. Gov. Ned Lamont called Diamantis's actions a betrayal of the public's trust and expressed hope that he would be apprehended and held accountable. State Attorney General William Tong, also a Democrat, called the fugitive’s disappearance a "shameful insult" to Connecticut residents and said it would not deter efforts to protect the state's interests and taxpayer funds. Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of 10 to 12 years for Diamantis, while his defense argued for a sentence with no prison time but strict release conditions. Diamantis is also facing another criminal case in federal court, where he is accused of taking bribes to suppress a state audit of an eye doctor accused of Medicaid fraud. Witnesses said they gave him envelopes of cash. In the school construction case, Diamantis was found guilty of using his position as director of the state’s Office of School Construction Grants and Review to demand and receive thousands of dollars in bribes from contractors. He was accused of threatening to end contracts if he wasn’t paid. During the trial, witnesses testified about giving Diamantis cash in various places, including a men's room at a restaurant, a doughnut shop, and his home. Some payments were referred to in messages as "birthday cards," "pars," and "birdies." Diamantis admitted to receiving the money but claimed it was legitimate consulting income.