A view of the Atlanta Hawks logo on their uniform during the game against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 08, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - A former senior finance executive for the Atlanta Hawks is accused of embezzling more than $3.8 million from the NBA team over several years, using company credit cards and falsified invoices to fund luxury travel, designer purchases, and personal expenses.
What we know:
According to federal court records, Lester T. Jones Jr., who served as the Hawks’ senior vice president of finance until earlier this year, has been charged with one count of wire fraud. Prosecutors allege that from 2017 through June 2025, Jones used his access to the team’s financial systems to submit fraudulent reimbursement requests and conceal unauthorized corporate credit card charges.
In an Oct. 29 filing, federal prosecutors said Jones’ purchases included trips to the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Switzerland, and Thailand, along with jewelry, Louis Vuitton merchandise, Porsche expenses, and event tickets. Court documents say he exploited weaknesses in the Hawks’ internal accounting software to avoid detection and altered emails and reports to make personal charges appear legitimate.
One example cited in the filing involves a nearly $230,000 reimbursement Jones allegedly fabricated in January 2025 for a hotel stay at the Wynn Las Vegas. Prosecutors say he doctored an American Express email to make the invoice appear genuine and directed subordinates to process payment, claiming the corporate account was at risk of suspension if it was not paid immediately.
Jones worked for the franchise for roughly nine years, starting in 2016 as director of financial planning and analysis. He later became vice president in 2018 and senior vice president of finance in 2021, serving as the Hawks’ top accounting officer under the chief financial officer.
In a separate order filed Oct. 31, U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee gave Jones fifteen days to inform the court whether he intends to plead guilty or proceed to trial. The order also paused Speedy Trial Act deadlines, with the judge citing "good cause" and noting that the delay serves the interests of justice.
What we don't know:
Federal prosecutors have not said whether any other Atlanta Hawks employees were aware of or involved in the alleged embezzlement scheme.
It’s also unclear how long the organization’s internal financial systems failed to detect the activity or whether any of the misused funds have been recovered.
The court has not indicated if a plea agreement is being negotiated or when a potential trial date will be set.
What's next:
If convicted, Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison and forfeiture of any proceeds from the alleged offense. The case, United States v. Lester T. Jones Jr., is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
The Source: The details in this article come from court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division.