Overview
- Federal prosecutors filed a single wire fraud charge by information against Lester T. Jones Jr., the team’s former senior vice president of finance, in the Northern District of Georgia.
- Jones pleaded not guilty, was released on $10,000 bond, and was ordered by Judge J.P. Boulee to notify the court within 15 days whether he will seek a plea or proceed to trial.
- Prosecutors say the conduct ran from 2017 through June 2025 and included a nearly $229,969 reimbursement tied to a fabricated Wynn Las Vegas invoice that helped trigger a team-backed audit.
- Court documents allege Jones controlled the Hawks’ American Express program, held multiple corporate cards, and used funds on luxury travel, designer goods, Porsche-related costs, event tickets, and gifts for a coworker he was dating.
- Filings describe a pre-July 2024 flaw in the Hawks’ reimbursement platform that hid actual card transactions from approvers, which prosecutors say Jones exploited; the government also seeks forfeiture and notes a potential 20-year maximum if convicted.