Lester Jones, the former senior vice president of financial planning for the Atlanta Hawks, has been charged with embezzling $3.8 million from the franchise. The indictment was announced last week by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
According to The Athletic, the alleged scheme came to light after Jones submitted a request for the Hawks to pay a $229,968.76 American Express bill for a stay at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. Prosecutors say the stay never occurred, marking the tip of a yearslong pattern of fraud.
Jones, 46, worked in the Hawks’ finance department for nearly a decade. He reportedly used his authority over corporate cards to authorize multiple charges for himself and others.
The former executive allegedly spent the stolen funds on luxury travel, including trips to the Bahamas, Hawaii, Thailand, and Switzerland. He is also accused of buying a Porsche and tickets to concerts and other events.
Prosecutors claim Jones used some of the embezzled money to purchase expensive gifts for a former team employee with whom he was in a romantic relationship. She no longer works for the Hawks and could not be reached for comment.
Evidence of Jones’ alleged crimes was uncovered through a team-backed audit, multiple league sources told The Athletic. The investigation reportedly confirmed that he controlled the team’s American Express account and had the ability to approve significant expenditures.
Jones now faces a federal wire fraud charge. If convicted, he could face substantial prison time and fines.
