Ex-plainfield school aide charged in $90k payroll scheme in new jersey

Prosecutor says former employee allegedly kept collecting pay for two years after resigning.

Plainfield, New Jersey — A former Plainfield Board of Education employee has been charged with collecting more than $90,000 in unearned salary over a two-year period, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced Tuesday.

Kyna Felder-Ruiz, 43, is charged with second-degree theft of mislaid property following a months-long investigation by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit. She was served with a complaint-summons on Monday and later processed at the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

Audit triggers criminal probe

The investigation, led by Detective Jessica Tattoli of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, began in January after an audit of Plainfield Board of Education records and a referral from the Plainfield Police Department. The audit found that Felder-Ruiz had resigned from her position as a teacher’s assistant in January 2023 but continued to receive regular payroll payments.

A review of financial records and witness interviews confirmed that Felder-Ruiz received more than $90,000 in erroneous payments from the school district, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Alleged actions to continue payments

Investigators allege that rather than reporting the discrepancy, Felder-Ruiz took active steps to ensure she continued receiving the unearned funds. At the time the case was referred for prosecution, she was employed as a principal account clerk for the City of Plainfield’s Department of Economic Development.

The charges stem from what authorities described as a sustained pattern of receiving compensation after her employment had ended, raising concerns about payroll oversight and internal controls within the district.

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Key Points
• Former Plainfield school employee charged with second-degree theft
• Audit found she received over $90,000 after resigning in 2023
• Investigation led by Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit
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Court date set

Following the service of the summons, Felder-Ruiz was released pending her first court appearance, scheduled for May 26 in Union County Superior Court.

The case remains under the jurisdiction of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities stated that the charges are accusations, and Felder-Ruiz is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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