HARTFORD, Conn. — With jury selection just weeks away, federal prosecutors and defense attorneys have finalized their witness lists for the high-profile criminal trial of Konstantinos “Kosta” Diamantis, a former Connecticut deputy budget director accused of orchestrating a bribery, extortion, and fraud scheme within the state’s school construction program.

Filed in court this week, the prosecution’s list names more than 40 potential witnesses who could testify in the case. Diamantis, who once oversaw the state’s Office of School Construction Grants and Review, is accused of using his authority to solicit bribes from contractors in exchange for lucrative project awards.

Among the names on the list are several current and former members of Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration, including Josh Geballe, the former commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services (DAS), as well as multiple state employees who worked directly under Diamantis. Notably absent from the list is Melissa McCaw, the former secretary of the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) who transferred the school construction grant program from DAS to OPM in 2020, making Diamantis her deputy commissioner.

McCaw resigned in February 2022, with Lamont emphasizing at the time that she left voluntarily and not because of the ongoing FBI investigation into projects tied to Diamantis.

The witness list also extends deep into Connecticut’s construction and design industry, naming executives from some of the state’s largest firms, including Arcadis, O&G Industries, Downes Construction, Newfield Construction, Construction Solutions Group, and D’Amato Construction.

The trial, scheduled to begin October 6, is expected to reexamine a scandal that shook Lamont’s administration in late 2021 and lingered during his 2022 re-election campaign. In October 2021, Lamont removed Diamantis from his post as deputy budget director shortly after the state received a federal subpoena requesting records on him and several related projects. Diamantis also resigned from his role leading the school construction office shortly thereafter.

Given Diamantis’ senior position in state government, political perceptions could play a role in the jury selection process. His attorney, Norm Pattis, has asked the presiding judge to allow direct questioning of prospective jurors about their views on Gov. Lamont.

“Of course people’s attitude toward the governor might impact whether they can be on the jury,” Pattis said. “At the center of this case are several senior administrative officials.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the trial, and Lamont’s office has not responded to requests for comment on the witness list.

Federal prosecutors formally charged Diamantis in May 2024 with 22 counts, including extortion, bribery, conspiracy, and making false statements to investigators. The charges focus primarily on his dealings with two contractors — Acranom Masonry and Construction Advocacy Professionals — whose executives, Salvatore Monarca, John Duffy, and Antonietta Roy, have already pleaded guilty to bribing Diamantis. All three are expected to testify.

However, the breadth of the witness list suggests the trial will cover far more than those transactions. Prosecutors have indicated they may also call Diamantis’ daughter, Anastasia, to testify. They allege Roy hired her as part of a quid pro quo arrangement for school construction contracts.

Other expected witnesses include municipal officials who say they experienced direct pressure from Diamantis. Walter Willett, Tolland’s school superintendent, has publicly claimed Diamantis pushed his district to hire certain contractors for the Birch Grove Elementary School project. Former Hartford city engineer Frank Dellaripa could also be called to testify.

Diamantis’ defense team has prepared its own slate of high-profile witnesses, including former Connecticut State Police Colonel Stavros Mellekas, former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, and former Hartford school superintendent Leslie Torres-Rodríguez.

Pattis said his client is eager to finally face the allegations in court.
“Mr. Diamantis has been held hostage by these accusations for a long time,” Pattis said. “The relationships in Hartford are a smoldering dung heap, and we are looking forward to shedding some sunlight and disinfectant on how the state does business.”

The trial is expected to last about two weeks, but with such a wide-ranging witness list, testimony could provide a rare inside look at how political connections, public contracts, and construction dollars intersect at the highest levels of Connecticut government.

Originally reported by Andrew Brown and Dave in CT Mirror.