A former Columbia resident was indicted in federal court on Wednesday on nine counts alleging he embezzled money and committed loan fraud while working as an employee of Scott Credit Union.

Theodore J. Longust, 50, worked in the commercial loan department of Scott Credit Union from 2005 to 2014, court documents at U.S. District Court of Southern Illinois in East St. Louis indicate.

The charges include fraud, misapplication on funds, money laundering and making a false record with the intent to deceive.

Longust is alleged to have created unauthorized loans in November 2008 to a church, and used money from one loan to pay personal credit card bills totaling $76,124.

The indictment further alleges that Longust executed a scheme to defraud through the embezzlement of credit union funds, creation of fraudulent loans, payment of loans through the misapplication of funds from other loans, the increase of credit limits on loans that did not have requisite board approval, issuance of business loans without required documentation or security and the issuance of letters of credit without required documentation and security.

The indictment alleges that Longust submitted a false report to Scott Credit Union for the third quarter of 2014 that misstated loan balances and omitted loan amounts and underreported loans of more than $12 million.

Scott Credit Union employees cooperated fully in the investigation.

Longust is set to appear in court on Dec. 4. If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 240 years in prison and a fine of $4.5 million, plus restitution.