Charlotte Scott worked as a grants specialist in the health system from 1999 until early March.

A former employee of Virginia Commonwealth University Health System has been indicted on charges of embezzling more than $800,000, which authorities say she used to buy bus tickets she resold for her own profit.

Charlotte Scott appeared yesterday in Richmond Circuit Court to face seven counts of embezzlement -- one for each year she is accused of using VCU funds to buy GRTC Transit System tickets for resale at prices below their face value.

"I just don't want to talk about it right now," Scott said as she left court.

General District Judge Robert A. Pustilnik appointed a public defender to represent Scott, who surrendered to police Tuesday and was released.

Scott, 46, whose address was not immediately available, was indicted last week by a multijurisdictional grand jury after an investigation by VCU police. The indictments, which were sealed until her appearance yesterday, provide scant details.

She will face a preliminary hearing in June before Judge Bradley B. Cavedo. Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney John S. Jung is prosecuting the case.

Sgt. Gary A. Natoli, who investigated the case, deferred to university officials for comment.

VCU spokeswoman Pamela Lepley said Scott worked as a grants specialist in the health system from 1999 until she was fired in early March. Lepley did not provide further details about Scott or the investigation.

Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Matthew P. Geary said in court yesterday that Scott resold GRTC tickets for her profit for more than seven years. The judge granted Geary's request that Scott be required to report for pre-trial services, including monitoring. She has no prior criminal record.

The investigation came as a surprise to GRTC, which learned of it Tuesday, according to spokeswoman Kathy Shaw Clary.

Scott was a regular customer with the bus system on behalf of VCU, buying tickets in bulk at a price of $1.25 each, Clary said. The practice is not unusual for institutions, businesses and other large employers, Clary added.

"We just know there have been multiple orders over the years," Clary said.

Contact Michael Martz at (804) 649-6964 or mmartz@timesdispatch.com.