Trial begins for Lamont’s former state deputy budget director

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) — The trial begins Monday for Gov. Ned Lamont’s former state deputy budget director. Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis is accused of taking bribes in his role overseeing state financing for school construction.

For six years, 69-year-old Diamantis had a lot of influence over school construction projects across the state. He’s on trial, accused of taking bribes from various construction-related companies.

From 2015 to 2021, Diamantis was a deputy secretary of the governor’s budget office as well as the head of the Office of School Construction Grants and Review.

He was indicted on 22 counts in an indictment that alleges that, starting in 2018, he took multiple bribes from contractors who got hired for school construction projects. One of them allegedly even gave his