ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A former finance executive for the Hawks was charged with defrauding and embezzling money from the team, according to a report by The Athletic.
The Athletic’s report claims Lester Jones, the team’s former senior vice president of financial planning and analysis, was indicted in federal court last week and charged with embezzling nearly $3.8 million from the Hawks.
Jones is no longer employed by the team.
According to the Athletic, Jones had access to the Hawks’ American Express card account and used that power to pay for international travel, a Porsche, live event tickets and “expensive gifts” for a Hawks employee with whom he was in a relationship.
That employee is also no longer with the team, the report said.
Among the many charges to the team’s account was a charge for a $229,968.76 stay at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas during last season’s NBA Cup. The Athletic said the stay never happened.
A LinkedIn page tied to Jones says he began working for the Hawks in 2016.
Jones was reportedly released on $10,000 bond.
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