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.