November 7, 2025
Lester T. Jones Jr. has been accused of stealing nearly $4 million from the group
Lester T. Jones Jr., a former govt of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, has been accused of stealing tens of millions of {dollars} from the group and utilizing the funds to pay for journey, luxurious attire, jewellery, automobile bills, and tickets to live shows and sporting occasions.
In response to The Related Press, federal prosecutors have charged the previous exec with a single depend of wire fraud, after claiming he organized for the NBA group to pay American Categorical almost $230,000 for “fraudulently incurred private bills.” The submitting states that he altered an e-mail to make it seem that the reimbursement request was for bills incurred whereas in Las Vegas on the Wynn Lodge in the course of the NBA Emirates Cup.
In a court docket look on Oct. 29, Jones pleaded not responsible and was granted bond. He was ordered to inform the court docket inside 15 days whether or not he would enter a responsible plea to the cost or go to trial.
Jones can also be accused of embezzling nearly $4 million whereas employed by the Hawks. He allegedly submitted dozens of fraudulent expense reimbursement requests, which included pretend and altered invoices, whereas charging tens of millions of {dollars} in private bills to company bank cards. A number of the bills included journey to international locales such because the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, and Thailand. He’s additionally accused of buying Louis Vuitton attire and incurring bills for a Porsche. Prosecutors say that he embezzled greater than $3.8 million.
Jones, who’s not with the Hawks, had been employed within the accounting and finance division since March 2016, overseeing the corporate’s company bank card account with American Categorical and the digital expense reimbursement program till June 2025.
A spokesperson for the Hawks declined to touch upon the allegations.
USA At present reported that Jones has additionally been charged with federal wire fraud for allegedly faking emails and altering experiences to cowl his alleged actions.
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