Union County Teacher Assistant Pockets $90K In Salary Years After Resigning: Prosecutor

PLAINFIELD, NJ — A former Plainfield Board of Education employee is accused of stealing more than $90,000 in unearned salary over two years, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced.

Kyna Felder-Ruiz, 43, was charged with second-degree theft of mislaid property on Tuesday, after a months-long investigation by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit.

An audit of Plainfield Board of Education records and a referral from the Plainfield Police Department prompted an investigation by Detective Jessica Tattoli in January.

The audit found Felder-Ruiz resigned from her position as a Teacher's Assistant in January 2023 but continued to receive regular payroll compensation afterward, according to Daniel.

A review of financial records and witness interviews confirmed that she received more than $90,000 in erroneous payments from the school district, according to the prosecutor’s office.

"Rather than reporting the discrepancy, Felder-Ruiz allegedly took active steps to ensure the continued receipt of the unearned funds," said Daniel.

Felder-Ruiz is currently employed as a Principal Account Clerk for the City of Plainfield’s Department of Economic Development.

She has since been processed at the Union County Sheriff’s Office and released pending her first court appearance on May 26.

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