A former Meriden bank president has pleaded guilty to two conspiracy counts in federal court admitting he planned to steal $1 million from the bank and flee the United States on his yacht.

Scott D. Becker, of Meriden, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Topeka Tuesday to two conspiracy counts, one to commit bank employee theft and one to commit perjury, wire fraud and money laundering, according to U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom’s office. In his plea, Becker admitted the crimes began in 1999 when he was president and CEO of Countryside Bank, formerly Meriden State Bank in western Jefferson County.

Becker said he used his knowledge of internal bank operations to steal more than $1 million for personal use by creating a series of legal entities, including trucking and farming operations.

After he was fired in 2003 from the bank, which had a negative net worth, and the FBI began investigating, prosecutors say Becker developed a scheme to liquidate, transfer and conceal his assets, including selling property in Finney County and buying a corporation in Panama to transfer assets to offshore accounts and buying a 42-foot yacht.

His sentencing is set for Dec. 20. Prosecutors recommend he serve six years in federal prison.

Two other co-defendants, Stephanie R. Smith and Michael R. Wurm, of Meriden, have been charged in the case. Smith has a change of plea hearing scheduled for Oct. 20.