Kosta La Vista: Fleeing Felon Still Collects His CT State Pension
No wonder Connecticut residents have lost faith in their leaders—everyday corruption with zero accountability has become standard operating procedure.
Criminal Conviction: October 2025
Governor Ned Lamont and Attorney General William Tong spent years looking the other way while former Deputy Budget Director Kosta Diamantis shook down contractors for kickbacks on state-funded school construction. When federal prosecutors secured a conviction on 21 counts of bribery, extortion, and fraud, it seemed justice was finally being served.
Instead, accountability vanished into thin air.
International Fugitive: September 2026
Rather than showing up for his federal sentencing on September 17, 2026, the 70-year-old convict fled to Greece to evade a decade-long prison sentence. Yet despite his fugitive status, Diamantis still expects the public to fund his retirement. Through his attorney, he is actively fighting from abroad to safeguard his $6,615-a-month ($79,000-a-year) state payout.
State Leaders Hide in the "Mumble Tank"
In response to the scandal, Governor Ned Lamont offered stern words: “Kosta Diamantis betrayed the public's trust and needs to be held accountable for his actions... I hope he is apprehended and made to face the music as soon as possible.”
Yet despite the high-minded rhetoric, practical accountability remains stalled in bureaucratic theater. State Comptroller Sean Scanlon didn't actually revoke the pension—he merely suspended direct deposit. That means paper checks are sitting in Hartford waiting for a fleeing felon to collect them in person. Meanwhile, Attorney General Tong vaguely promises his office is "reviewing all legal options." leaving citizens furious that a convicted traitor to the public trust can still claim a single dime.
The Dual Citizenship Escape Hatch
Extraditing Diamantis will be extraordinarily difficult given his dual Greek-American citizenship and Greece’s refusal to surrender its own nationals. Cases like this highlight how a secondary passport can serve as the ultimate "get out of jail free card" to dodge federal prison—allowing a fugitive to live comfortably on a Mediterranean coast while Connecticut continues footing the bill.
Between the Lines: Citizens are left with one infuriating question: what, exactly, does a public official have to do in this state to actually forfeit a pension?