ATLANTA - Attorney General Thurbert Baker announced today that an investigation of suspected embezzlement at the state cafeteria in the Floyd Office Building has led to the arrests of four suspects. Agents of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested former Georgia Building Authority employee Dianne Carter, her husband Elco Carter and two grown children, William Douglas Carter and Melissa Carter this morning at their homes. The suspects are charged with theft by taking, conspiracy to defraud the state, making false statements and violating the state RICO statute. Search warrants for the family's homes were served at the time of the arrests.

Ms. Carter and her family are suspected of stealing between $500,000 and $1,500,000 from the state while she was employed at the cafeteria between July 1995 and July 1998. Because of the methods used to commit the crimes, investigators may be unable to determine the exact amount of money that was stolen. The investigation is ongoing.

"I place the highest priority on ensuring that state employees who are suspected of abusing their positions of trust are investigated and prosecuted," Baker said. "We will continue to pursue those state employees who commit acts of fraud and corruption."