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Former Atlanta Hawks finance executive pleads guilty in $3.8M fraud case

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Former Atlanta Hawks finance executive pleads guilty in .8M fraud case


A longtime Atlanta Hawks executive has pleaded guilty in a federal fraud case, after prosecutors alleged that he stole more than $3.8 million from the NBA team over several years.

Lester T. Jones Jr., the Hawks’ former Senior Vice President of Finance, changed his plea to guilty in federal court. A sentencing date has been set for March 24, 2026, according to court records.

Federal prosecutors charged Jones with one count of wire fraud, alleging he carried out the scheme from at least May 2017 through June 2025 while working in the team’s accounting and finance department.

Jones joined the Hawks organization in 2016 and eventually became the most senior accounting executive under the team’s chief financial officer. Prosecutors say he used his position and access to the team’s bank accounts, expense reimbursement system, and corporate American Express cards to divert team funds for personal use.

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ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 04: A general view of the court prior to the game between the Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on February 4, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Todd Kirkland / Getty Images


According to court documents, Jones submitted — or directed others to submit — fraudulent expense reports, often using fake or altered invoices to seek reimbursement for expenses that never occurred. Prosecutors also allege he charged millions of dollars in personal expenses to company credit cards.

Those charges allegedly included luxury travel to destinations such as the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Switzerland, and Thailand, along with purchases from Louis Vuitton, Porsche-related expenses, jewelry, and sports and concert tickets.

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Federal filings say Jones attempted to conceal the scheme by manipulating financial reports, altering emails, and falsely attributing large credit card balances to legitimate team operations.

Prosecutors also allege Jones exploited a weakness in the Hawks’ expense reimbursement system that, prior to July 2024, did not display actual corporate credit card transactions to employees responsible for processing reimbursements.

One example cited in court records involves a January 2025 incident in which Jones allegedly submitted a fake invoice totaling $229,968 for a team event at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. Prosecutors say no such event or charge ever occurred. They allege Jones forwarded an altered American Express email to colleagues, approved the reimbursement himself, and then used the funds to pay off personal credit card charges.

As part of the case, Jones will be required to forfeit any money or property connected to the fraud, according to prosecutors.

The case is being handled in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

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CBS News Atlanta reached out to the Atlanta Hawks organization for comment. The team declined to comment.



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Atlanta, GA

Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels

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Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels


A Buckhead apartment building was evacuated for a time late Tuesday night due to a carbon monoxide alarm. 

What we know:

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The incident occurred at an apartment complex in the 2900 block of Pharr Court South. 

According to Atlanta Fire Rescue, firefighters are investigating elevated carbon monoxide levels.

The entire building was evacuated as a precaution. 

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One person was evaluated at the scene for possible carbon monoxide exposure. 

Crews ventilated the building while they looked for the source.

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Firefighters say they were able to finally locate the source and contain it.

Once readings were back to a safe level, residents were allowed back inside the apartments.

What we don’t know:

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It remains unclear how many residents were displaced by the evacuation. 

The Source: The details in this article come from the Atlanta Fire Rescue.

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2 arrested in deadly drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Atlanta girl, police say

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2 arrested in deadly drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Atlanta girl, police say


Two suspects in a shooting that left a 7-year-old Atlanta girl dead and her mother injured are now in custody nearly a week after the violence, police say.

The shooting happened around 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 24 at a home on the 2200 block of Tiger Flowers Drive NW.

Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute between one of the victim’s family members and the gunman over the phone. Thirty minutes after the argument, the suspect came back and fired shots into the home, police said.

Officers responding to the scene found a 44-year-old woman and her daughter, identified as 7-year-old Zoe Price, shot. Medics rushed the pair to a local hospital, but Price died from her injuries.

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Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the department’s homicide unit secured an arrest warrant for 19-year-old Preston Smith two days after the shooting. Smith turned himself in to the Fulton County Jail on March 2.

Schierbaum said officers executed a search warrant on Feb. 27 at a home on McDaniel Street. On that day, 17-year-old Steven Richardson, who police described as an “accomplice,” turned himself in to authorities.

Both men are charged with murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, three counts of aggravated assault, second-degree criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and four counts of third-degree cruelty to children. Richardson is also charged with possession of a Firearm by a Person Under 18.

At a press conference to announce the arrests, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens described Price as a bright and compassionate little girl who was “full of energy and full of joy.”

“Her life was cut short in an act of senseless violence, and that loss is not abstract. It is a chair that is going to be missing at the dinner table each night. It is an empty classroom seat next to her friends,” Dickens said.

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The mayor called the arrests “a step forward towards justice” for Price’s family and families across the city.

Dickens said that violence, like the act that took Price’s life, would not be tolerated in Atlanta.



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Atlanta Braves News: Top 30 Prospects, Starting Pitching Depth, More

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Atlanta Braves News: Top 30 Prospects, Starting Pitching Depth, More


On Monday, the Braves were able to earn another Spring Training victory over the Detroit Tigers. It was a game where the starting pitching depth of the Braves was on full display, as Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz, and Owen Murphy all threw multiple innings. While it is likely unwise to expect big things from any of these three arms this season, they are a part of the “next man up” group for the Braves if injury again impacts the rotation. Each had a solid effort today, a trend that will hopefully continue.



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