ST. LOUIS • A local lawyer who has already been battling the seizure of his assets has been indicted on 22 federal charges that accuse him of helping run a Ponzi scheme that cost investors about $52.5 million.

The allegations against Martin T. Sigillito, 62, of Webster Groves, had earlier spawned civil lawsuits by angry investors and the seizure by FBI and IRS agents of hundreds of rare books, coins and fine wines.

The indictment, handed down April 28 and unsealed Wednesday, charges Sigillito and two others: lawyer James Scott Brown, 66, of Leawood, Kan., and real estate speculator Derek J. Smith, 67, of Oxfordshire, England.

Brown and Smith face a single charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Sigillito, who worked from an office in Clayton, faces that charge as well as 21 counts of money laundering and mail and wire fraud.

"When it comes to Ponzi schemes, the amount of money stolen in this case is the largest in the history of the Eastern District of Missouri," said Dennis L. Baker, head of the FBI in St. Louis.

The indictment claims that the scam originated from a loan arrangement called the British Lending Program, in which U.S. investors loaned money to United Kingdom borrowers for a short time at a high interest rate. Brown knew the program's originator, and began loaning money. He then introduced Sigillito to the program.

Together, Brown and Sigillito developed their own "marketing materials," and used at least 10 recruiters to funnel money into the program, the indictment says.

Smith evolved into the only borrower in the early 2000s, the indictment says.

"Investments" in the program followed a classic bell curve, beginning with $1.6 million in 2000 and peaking in 2007 with $12.4 million flowing in. By 2010, when questions had been mounting, the program took in only $1.4 million.

In all, according to prosecutors, Smith received roughly $6.1 million in loans, while Sigillito took $7.8 million and Brown took $1.4 million in fees. About $27 million went to pay interest and principal. By June 2010, the program had no money left.

The indictment accuses Brown, Sigillito and their recruiters of misleading investors about the rate of return, the destination of the loan, the safety of their investment, Smith's assets and the fees they charged.

Although investors were told fees were less than 10 percent, they were actually 32 percent or more, prosecutors claim.

Sigillito used his religious and social connections, took advantage of vulnerable investors and used high-pressure tactics to recruit investors, prosecutors say.

By last year, when IRS and FBI agents raided his office and homes in Webster Groves and the wine country near Marthasville last year, Sigillito had amassed 478 antique books and pamphlets. IRS and FBI agents also seized a Volvo, rare bottles of champagne, wine and liquor, Persian rugs and ancient coins, according to a forfeiture motion that accompanied the indictment.

Sigillito may now qualify for a public defender, according to testimony in a lengthy preliminary court hearing Wednesday afternoon, although prosecutors may try to block that.

Sigillito and Brown both pleaded not guilty during the hearing. Smith is not in custody.

Their lawyers could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday, but earlier this year Sigillito lawyer Douglas Roller said his client would clear his name.