Former Hawks Exec Charged With Wire Fraud
A former senior finance executive for the Atlanta Hawks has been charged with one count of wire fraud.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, Lester T. Jones, who served as the team’s senior VP of finance until earlier this year, is accused of embezzling more than $3.8 million from the team from 2017 through this past June. Jones allegedly submitted fraudulent reimbursement requests and concealed unauthorized corporate credit card charges.
According to court records, prosecutors accused Jones of using company funds to cover personal expenses. Those expenses include luxury vacations, jewelry, event tickets, and Porsche expenses. Prosecutors say Jones exploited weaknesses in the Hawks’ internal accounting software to avoid getting caught, as well as to send altered emails and reports to make the charges appear legitimate.
A federal judge has given Jones fifteen days to decide whether to go to trial or plead guilty. If convicted, Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison and forfeiture of any proceeds from the alleged offense.
Former Hawks Exec Charged With Wire Fraud was originally published on hotspotatl.com
