Former Plainfield school employee charged with stealing more than $90K in payroll
Kyna Felder-Ruiz, 43, is charged with theft of mislaid property. She was served with a summons on April 7 following a months-long investigation by the Union County Prosecutor.
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A former Plainfield Board of Education employee has been charged with collecting more than $90,000 in unearned salary over a two‑year period, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office announced.
Kyna Felder‑Ruiz, 43, is charged with theft of mislaid property. She was served with a summons on April 7 following a months‑long investigation by the Union County Prosecutor.
The investigation began in January after an audit of Plainfield Board of Education payroll records and a referral from the Plainfield Police Department.
Authorities said the audit found that Felder‑Ruiz resigned from her job as a teacher’s assistant in January 2023 but continued to receive regular payroll payments.
A review of financial records and witness interviews found that Felder‑Ruiz received more than $90,000 in erroneous payments from the school district, the prosecutor said in a statement. Rather than reporting the discrepancy, she allegedly took steps to ensure the unearned payments continued.
At the time the case was referred to the prosecutor’s office, Felder‑Ruiz was employed as a principal account clerk for the City of Plainfield’s Department of Economic Development.
Felder‑Ruiz was processed at the Union County Sheriff’s Office and released pending a first court appearance on May 26.
