Olathe ? The former operator of an Olathe mortgage business was charged this week with 31 counts of theft and computer crime.

Johnson County prosecutors said there were many other potential victims of the Money Tree Mortgage business that Todd M. Webster ran.

Webster, 33, of Woodstock, Ga., appeared Tuesday in Johnson County District Court, where he is charged with 16 counts of theft and 15 counts of computer crime.

The thefts are misdemeanors, because the amount allegedly taken in each case was less than $500. But prosecutors say that in 15 of the thefts a computer was used to facilitate the alleged crimes. Each of those counts is a felony.

The business is now closed, but white-collar crime investigators in the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office said they received numerous complaints from consumers who said they had paid money to the company after being led to believe they could qualify for home loans.

Prosecutors allege that the company took $300 initial application fees from customers, knowing that the applicants were unlikely to qualify for loans because of bankruptcies or bad credit histories. The initial payments were not returned, according to the charges.

The alleged crimes occurred between January and July of last year, according to court documents.

Attorney Pat Miller represented Webster at Tuesday’s court appearance. Miller could not be reached after the hearing.

Webster was released from custody later Tuesday after posting a $35,000 bond. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Aug. 17.