A former finance government with the Atlanta Hawks, Lester T. Jones Jr., has been sentenced to a few years and 5 months in jail after stealing roughly $3.7 million from the group.
Authorities say he carried out the scheme via faux expense reimbursements and unauthorized use of firm bank cards, funding a way of life that included luxurious items, journey, and leisure.
“Jones turned his dream job as a high-ranking government for the Atlanta Hawks into a chance to steal the workforce’s funds, buying luxurious attire, jewellery, watches, and journeys for himself,” mentioned U.S. Lawyer Theodore S. Hertzberg. “However, for Jones and others who abuse their employers’ belief to embezzle substantial funds, the gravy prepare’s last vacation spot is federal jail.”
“This case underscores the numerous harm that may be attributable to insider threats inside a corporation,” mentioned Marlo Graham, Particular Agent in Cost of FBI Atlanta. “Jones abused his authority and entry to embezzle tens of millions, however schemes like this should not immune from detection. The FBI stays dedicated to investigating and disrupting monetary crimes at each degree.”
In keeping with prosecutors, Jones joined the Hawks’ finance division in 2016 and finally rose to Senior Vice President of Finance in 2021, turning into the highest accounting official beneath the chief monetary officer.
Round that point, he gained full management over the workforce’s company American Categorical program and expense reimbursement system, giving him broad oversight of spending and inside processes.
Between 2021 and mid-2025, he used that entry to orchestrate the fraud in two major methods: submitting faux reimbursement claims for nonexistent enterprise bills and charging private purchases to company bank cards whereas concealing them with false documentation.
Investigators say the cash went towards high-end purchasing, together with almost $100,000 at Saks Fifth Avenue, a diamond ring price over $115,000, luxurious watches, worldwide journeys, and greater than $160,000 on occasion tickets.
Jones, 46, pleaded responsible to wire fraud in December 2025 and was additionally ordered to repay almost $3.9 million, adopted by three years of supervised launch after his jail time period.
ATLANTA – A former Atlanta Hawks accounting government, Lester T. Jones, Jr., has been sentenced to a few years and 5 months in jail for embezzling roughly $3.7 million from the NBA workforce via fraudulent expense reimbursement requests and misuse of company credit score… pic.twitter.com/ecq210Q4Y4
— US Lawyer NDGA (@NDGAnews) April 29, 2026
