A woman who owned a Hermitage business has been arrested for allegedly embezzling $540,000 over three months when she worked on behalf of a title insurance company.

Joan E. Ansell, 137 Folk Road, Delaware Township, was arrested earlier this week by Hermitage police on a variety of counts. She owned Ansell Settlements LLC in Hermitage, which closed in July.

The arrest came in the wake of an ongoing civil case filed by First American Title Insurance Co. of California against Ms. Ansell. The suit alleges that for more than a year when Ms. Ansell was acting as the company's agent, she failed, among other things, to properly disburse and handle funds as required by contract and that she used the money for her personal benefit.

As a title insurance company, First American closes real estate transactions by doing such work as ensuring that Realtor commissions, taxes and transfer fees are paid, along with recording mortgages at courthouses and paying off any outstanding mortgages. Special banking accounts are created in which funds from real estate buyers and sellers are escrowed to ensure payment of these expenses. Agents for title insurance companies are often hired to see that the funds are properly disbursed.

Hermitage police allege that from May 30 to Aug. 4, Ms. Ansell embezzled money while doing real estate closings for her business.