Town Manager Brian Foley of Tolland, Connecticut, formally asked the U.S. Attorney’s Office to seek restitution on behalf of the town for alleged financial losses tied to the Birch Grove Primary School construction project. In a letter to Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Francis, Foley stressed that the town expects to be made whole as part of former state official Kosta Diamantis’ sentencing.
Letter to Federal Prosecutors
Foley’s letter, posted on the town’s Facebook page, reads, “We want our money back.” He explained that the town relied on the integrity of the state‑administered school construction process and reasonably expected decisions affecting a major taxpayer‑funded municipal project to be made in the public interest, free from corruption, bribery, self‑dealing, or improper influence.
Background on the Former Official
Kosta Diamantis, who previously served as Connecticut’s deputy budget director and chief of school construction funding, was convicted last year on 21 counts, including bribery, extortion, conspiracy, and making false statements to investigators. He was scheduled for sentencing last week, but his attorney, Norm Pattis, claimed Diamantis was in Greece, prompting a judge to issue a bench warrant and the state to suspend his pension payments. His sentencing has been reset for Sept. 30.
Town’s Ongoing Review
Foley said the town is conducting a detailed review of contracts, invoices, payments, change orders, procurement decisions and other records associated with the Birch Grove project to determine the exact amount of money lost. The town expects to provide the U.S. Attorney’s Office with a preliminary dollar figure by Monday, Sept. 28.
Request for Victim Status
In the letter, Foley respectfully requested that the United States Attorney’s Office recognize the Town of Tolland as a victim entitled to exercise all applicable rights in connection with the sentencing proceedings. He emphasized that the town’s interests should be fully represented as the case moves forward.
The request underscores Tolland’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and to holding public officials accountable when public funds are misused. Town officials hope the restitution process will recover the taxpayer dollars that were diverted and restore confidence in the state‑run school construction system.
As the federal case proceeds, Tolland will continue to monitor developments and keep residents informed of any progress toward recovering the alleged losses.
Original reporting: NBC Connecticut — read the source article.
