Four university employees charged with allegations related to the coffee fund investigation have been put on paid administrative leave.

Michael Hall, Materials Management traffic manager; Mark Beaird, Materials Management inventory specialist; Joseph Alberti, Materials Management account technician; and Controller Keith Jackson, were all put on administrative leave, according to NIU Today.

During the administrative leave period, the eight employees will receive a regular salary, in accordance with state civil service statutes and university policy.

Materials Management storekeeper Keenon Darlinger; Property Control manager Larry Murray; Susan Zahm, property control inventory specialist; and Materials Management director Kenneth Pugh, were already placed on paid leave in late August in relation to the investigation.

The university made the decision after a review of state civil service statutes and regulations along with NIU’s employment polices and practices, according to NIU Today.

With the exception of Hall, who has not been arrested yet, all of the employees turned themselves in to the police. Alberti turned himself in to the DeKalb Police Department on Oct. 16, while the rest turned themselves in to the NIU Police Department.

The ninth person charged with allegations related to the coffee fund was Robert Albanese, former associate vice president of Finance and Facilities. Albanese also turned himself into the NIU Police Department.

Arrest warrants for the nine people were issued on Oct. 16 by the office of Clay Campbell, DeKalb County state’s attorney. According to NIU Today, NIU police turned over its findings from the coffee fund investigation to Campbell’s office on Sept. 4.

The “coffee fund” account was first reported in an Aug. 4 Daily Chronicle article. NIU launched an investigation in response to the article, which alleged NIU employees would sell scrap metal from NIU and keep the profits. Checks from the DeKalb Iron and Metal Company have totaled more than $13,000 since 2005, according to the Daily Chronicle. NIU confirmed the existence of the coffee fund on Aug. 3. According to an NIU Today article, the fund existed for over 20 years at a local bank. The fund was not authorized by the university and the money was not used for personal purpose or gain, according to NIU Today. The account had $2,100 in it as of August 2012.