By: Richard L. Smith
A former employee of the Plainfield Board of Education has been charged after authorities say she improperly collected more than $90,000 in salary payments over a two-year period, according to a statement released by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced that Kyna Felder-Ruiz, 43, is facing a second-degree charge of theft of mislaid property following a months-long investigation conducted by the office’s Special Prosecutions Unit.
Officials said Felder-Ruiz was served with a complaint-summons on April 7, 2026.
The investigation began in January 2026 after an internal audit of Board of Education records, which was later referred to authorities by the Plainfield Police Department.
According to investigators, the audit revealed that Felder-Ruiz had resigned from her position as a teacher’s assistant in January 2023 but continued receiving regular paychecks from the district.
Authorities said a review of financial records, along with witness interviews, confirmed that the payments totaled more than $90,000.
Prosecutors allege that rather than reporting the apparent payroll error, Felder-Ruiz took deliberate steps to continue receiving the funds.
At the time the case was referred to the prosecutor’s office, Felder-Ruiz was reportedly working as a principal account clerk with the City of Plainfield’s Department of Economic Development.
The charge remains an accusation, and Felder-Ruiz is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.