Former Hawks senior executive charged in $3.8 million fraud scheme

Written by: A. Smith

Published November 4, 2025 @ 9:26 AM ET

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – 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, according to federal court records and multiple reports.

Lester T. Jones Jr., who served as the Hawks’ senior vice president of financial planning and analysis, allegedly used his position to falsify invoices, manipulate company credit card records, and divert funds for luxury travel, personal purchases, and other expenses.

According to an indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, Jones is charged with one count of wire fraud. Prosecutors allege that between 2017 and June 2025, he used his access to the Hawks’ internal financial systems to submit fraudulent reimbursement requests and conceal unauthorized corporate charges.

Court documents and a report from The Athletic state that the alleged scheme came to light after Jones submitted a nearly $230,000 reimbursement request in January 2025 for a supposed stay at the Wynn Las Vegas. The invoice, prosecutors say, was fabricated — Jones never stayed at the hotel. The Hawks launched a team-backed audit that uncovered years of financial discrepancies, ultimately leading to Jones’ termination.

Federal filings detail how Jones allegedly exploited weaknesses in accounting software and falsified emails to make personal expenses appear legitimate. Prosecutors say he used corporate funds for luxury trips to destinations such as the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Switzerland, and Thailand, as well as to purchase jewelry, designer merchandise from Louis Vuitton, Porsche-related expenses, and concert and event tickets.

Sources familiar with the case told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Jones also used the money to buy expensive gifts for a romantic partner who was employed by the team at the time. The Hawks no longer employ either individual, and it’s unclear whether the woman was aware of the alleged scheme.

A Hawks spokesperson declined to comment on the case.

Jones worked for the franchise for nearly a decade, joining in 2016 as director of financial planning and analysis before being promoted to vice president in 2018 and senior vice president in 2021, overseeing the team’s financial operations under the chief financial officer.

In a court order filed Oct. 31, U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee gave Jones 15 days to decide whether he intends to plead guilty or proceed to trial. He pleaded not guilty at his initial appearance and was released on a $10,000 bond last week.

If convicted, Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison and forfeiture of any proceeds connected to 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.