A Georgia Department of Revenue employee, along with 14 other associates has been indicted for conspiring to steal approximately $200,000.00 from the State of Georgia, thru illegal tax refunds.

Lauren Kane, a spokesperson from the Office of the Attorney General, says that former employee, Naterica Burkes, who was arrested back in September 2011, worked for the Georgia Department of Revenue in DeKalb County and was part of a scheme to steal money from the State of Georgia by creating fraudulent accounts in the DOR's computer system by issuing tax refund checks to herself, former colleagues, family members, friends and associates.

Investigators say the co-conspirators would deposit refund checks into personal bank accounts or cash them at local businesses and then divvy up the proceeds.

It's alleged that Burkes issued a total of 33 illegal tax refunds from July 2008 until September 2011.

The co-conspirators are form DOR employee Kaisha Ash, David H. Pitts, Kedrick Lacey, Nicole D.  Calhoun, Leonard Harvey, Jr., Rochelle Hunter, Chandra Long, Justin C. Clark, Sochie Jordan, Nykea Williams, Lloyd Burkes, Kenneth Sheriff, Olivetti Key and Tomichi A. Lee.

Racketeering carries a minimum of five years, with a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to three times the amount of money stolen.