Man allegedly embezzled $500,000 in SA

A former director of a real estate agency has been charged with embezzling about half-a-million dollars from the Adelaide company.

The 63-year-old man, who's from the northern suburbs but lives in India, was arrested on Thursday at Adelaide airport, police said.

He's been charged with 72 counts of theft, and dishonest dealings with documents and deception, offences said to have occurred between February 2012 and April 2013.

He's due to front Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday.