Ex-Bristol Lawmaker Admits To Bribe Scheme To Kill Medicaid Audit For Fiancee: Feds

By Josh Lanier From Daily Voice

A former Connecticut state representative took a plea deal in a federal corruption case and admitted to fraud and extortion charges over his interference in a Medicaid and Medicare billing audit of his fiancée, a Bristol optometrist, authorities said. 

Christopher Ziogas, of Bristol, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 26, to multiple felonies tied to a scheme that ran from January through June 2020, the US Attorney for Connecticut said. His fiancée, Helen Zervas, previously pleaded guilty in the case. 

Prosecutors said Zervas, who ran Family Eye Care in Bristol, turned to Ziogas to help after she learned federal authorities were planning to investigate her practice's Medicaid billing. In turn, Ziogas went to state budget official Konstantinos Diamantis, who accepted payments from Zervas to obstruct and stymie that investigation. 

Documents say the case began when the Department of Social Services told Zervas it would audit her clinic. Prosecutors said she “knew that she had fraudulently overbilled Medicaid for medical services that she had not provided, or that were not medically necessary.” 

Investigators said Ziogas paid Diamantis $20,000 on March 4, 2020. That same day, Zervas’s lawyer sent DSS a settlement offer. The next day, Zervas reimbursed Ziogas with a $25,000 check from Family Eye Care.

A second payment followed. “On March 12, 2020, Ziogas made a $10,000 bribe payment to Diamantis, and was subsequently reimbursed by Zervas,” prosecutors said. DSS later canceled the audit after officials were “advised and pressured directly by Diamantis and indirectly by him.”

DSS accepted Zervas’s settlement offer on May 1. Days later, Ziogas and Diamantis brought DSS a settlement check for $599,810. Prosecutors said Zervas again used Ziogas to deliver another bribe payment of $65,000 to Diamantis on May 15. 

Ziogas also admitted lying to federal agents during the investigation. In a separate case, he admitted to bank fraud for preparing a $5,500 check from a trust he oversaw and directing it to Diamantis, the US Attorney's Office said. 

Ziogas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, making false statements, and bank fraud, according to prosecutors. He faces up to nearly four years in prison, according to the plea agreement. 

He remains free on a $500,000 bond while he awaits sentencing on February 18, authorities said. 

Diamantis' trial is scheduled to begin in February.