ATLANTA (AP/WAOK) – A DeKalb County grand jury on Thursday accused a former state employee and 14 others of stealing $200,000 from the state of Georgia through fraudulent tax refunds.

Naterica Burkes and her alleged co-conspirators were indicted under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. That’s commonly called the RICO Act.

Burkes, who worked for the Georgia Department of Revenue, was arrested in September 2011.

The indictment alleges that Burkes used her position to create fictitious accounts to issue tax refunds to herself, former colleagues, friends, family members and associates. The indictment alleges 33 fraudulent transactions between July 2008 and September 2011.

Racketeering carries a minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years. Those convicted also can be fined up to three times the amount that was stolen.