‘School Construction Kingpin’ Diamantis Indicted for $1M Bribery Scheme

A federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a 22-count indictment charging KONSTANTINOS “KOSTA” DIAMANTIS, 67, of Farmington, with extortion, bribery, conspiracy, and false statement offenses related to his conduct as director of Connecticut’s Office of School Constructions Grants and Review (“OSCGR”).

The indictment alleges that Diamantis demanded and received bribes from Acranom Masonry, Inc. and its associates in exchange for his official assistance in securing masonry contracts for state-funded school construction projects. The schemes allegedly involved multi-million dollar projects, including the Hartford’s Weaver High School renovation and the Birch Grove Primary School rebuild in Tolland.

According to the indictment, Diamantis used his official position to help Acranom Masonry, Inc. resolve a dispute on the Weaver High School project, obtain the contract for masonry work on phase four of the same project, and secure the masonry contract for the Birch Grove Primary School rebuild. The indictment also alleges that Diamantis threatened to remove Acranom Masonry, Inc. as mason on the Weaver and Birch Grove projects if he was not paid.

In another scheme, Diamantis allegedly demanded and received bribes from Antonietta Roy, owner of Construction Advocacy Professionals, LLC, in exchange for his assistance in securing contracts for construction administrator and related services on state school construction projects. Roy pleaded guilty to conspiring to bribe Diamantis to obtain business as a construction administrator on school construction projects.

Diamantis was arrested this morning and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a $500,000 bond. The indictment also alleges that Diamantis made multiple false statements to FBI agents investigating the matter on three different occasions in 2023.

The indictment returns a total of 22 counts against Diamantis, including extortion, bribery, conspiracy, and false statement offenses. The cases against Acranom Masonry, Inc. and its associates, as well as Roy, are part of a larger investigation into corruption within Connecticut’s school construction program.

“Constructing and renovating schools is an important, and very expensive, endeavor for our state and municipalities, and corruption within a program that manages and funds them adds cost, seriously erodes trust in government, and raises questions about work quality and the potential harms to students and educators in the classroom,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery.

As the investigation continues, the public is reminded that corruption within government programs can have far-reaching and devastating consequences for the public trust and the integrity of public institutions. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this developing story and bring you updates as more information becomes available.