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

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

General District Court Judge Robert A. Pustilnik appointed a public defender to represent Scott, who surrendered to police yesterday and was released on her own recognizance.

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

Scott, 46, whose address was not immediately available, was indicted last week by a multijurisctional grand jury after an investigation by VCU Police. The indictment was sealed until her appearance today and was not available in the court clerk's office after her court appearance.

The case will be scheduled for a preliminary hearing in June before Circuit Judge Bradley B. Cavedo and prosecuted by Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney John S. Jung.

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

VCU spokeswoman Pamela Lepley said Scott had 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 today that Scott had 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 yesterday, 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. The practice is not unusual for institutions, businesses and other large employers, Shaw said.

"We just know there have been multiple orders over the years," Shaw said. Contact Michael Martz at (804) 649-6964 or mmartz@timesdispatch.com.