A former co-owner of the now-defunct Indigo Lounge admitted Thursday in federal court to stealing thousands of dollars from restaurant patrons.

Kevin O'Connell, 33, flew to Great Falls from Buffalo, N.Y., where he lives, to appear on a felony charge of credit card fraud. He pleaded guilty to the charge, acknowledging that he made $44,209 in unauthorized charges to the credit card accounts of several customers. He said he saved receipts from credit card purchases made in the restaurant, and later used the card numbers on the receipts to make additional charges.