Former executive sentenced to jail for embezzling from Hawks
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- Lester T. Jones Jr., former senior vice president for finance at the Atlanta Hawks, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for embezzling about $3.7 million from the team through fraudulent expense reimbursements and misuse of corporate credit cards.
- Jones used the stolen funds to pay for personal luxury items and experiences, including travel to the Bahamas and Thailand, luxury apparel, jewelry, watches, and tickets to concerts and sporting events.
- He worked in the Hawks' accounting and finance department from 2016 to 2025 and had control over the corporate credit card account and expense reimbursement program starting in 2021.
- Federal prosecutors highlighted that Jones abused his position of trust and emphasized that such financial crimes are subject to detection and prosecution, with the FBI committed to investigating insider threats.
- The Atlanta Hawks declined to comment on the case, while authorities stressed the significant damage caused by insider fraud within organizations.
