Overview
- Lester T. Jones Jr., who was sentenced Wednesday, received three years and five months in federal prison plus three years of supervised release and must repay $3,898,486.99.
- Prosecutors say he exploited his role as sole administrator of the team’s American Express cards and its expense system starting in 2021 to file fake reimbursements and put personal charges on corporate cards.
- Court filings detail personal spending that included about $80,000 in travel to the Bahamas and Thailand, $99,800 at Saks Fifth Avenue, a $115,795 diamond ring, $21,889 in Omega watches, and more than $160,000 on event tickets.
- The scheme came to light after a team-backed audit in 2025, with reports describing a bogus nearly $230,000 Wynn Las Vegas bill that did not exist.
- Federal officials called the case a warning about insider threats within organizations, and the Hawks declined to comment on the sentencing.