Former Atlanta Hawks VP Sentenced To Prison For Stealing Millions From Team
Once in charge of finances, Jones exploited his access to American Express accounts to bankroll a lavish personal lifestyle.
Black News 
Lester T. Jones Jr., the former Atlanta Hawks finance executive, has been sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison after admitting to a years-long scheme that siphoned roughly $3.7 million from the organization.
According to federal prosecutors, Jones, 46, exploited his position inside the Hawks’ accounting and finance department to bankroll a lavish personal lifestyle. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud in December, bringing an end to a case that detailed how one of the franchise’s top financial overseers manipulated internal systems meant to safeguard company money.
Jones worked for the Hawks from March 2016 through June 2025, rising to senior vice president for finance in August 2021. In that role, he oversaw the team’s corporate credit card account with American Express and managed the electronic expense reimbursement program—two key access points he later used to carry out the fraud.
Prosecutors said Jones submitted dozens of fake expense reports, prompting the organization to reimburse him for business costs that never existed. He also freely charged personal purchases to company credit cards, racking up eye-popping totals along the way.
Among the expenses: about $80,000 in international travel to destinations like the Bahamas and Thailand, nearly $100,000 on high-end clothing from Saks Fifth Avenue, and more than $160,000 on concert and event tickets. The spending also included a $115,795 diamond ring and nearly $22,000 on Omega watches.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said Jones turned what should have been a dream job into an opportunity for personal enrichment. “For those who abuse their employers’ trust to embezzle substantial funds,” he said, “the gravy train’s final destination is federal prison.”
Federal investigators emphasized that the case highlights the risks posed by insider threats. FBI Special Agent Marlo Graham noted that while schemes like Jones’ can go undetected for a time, they rarely last forever.
The Hawks declined to comment on the sentencing.
