Former president and vice president of Jacksonville Teachers Union sentenced to federal prison for embezzling millions in union funds

Date: Feb. 10, 2026

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Jacksonville, FL - Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Teresa Brady (Jacksonville) to 27 months in federal prison, and Ruby George (Jacksonville) to one year and one day in federal prison followed by six months of home confinement, both in connection with their guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, aiding and abetting wire fraud, and aiding and abetting mail fraud. Brady also pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. As part of their sentences, the court ordered the forfeiture of the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct, which cumulatively totaled $2,600,235.99. Further, the court ordered Brady and George to pay the same amount in restitution to the victim of their offenses, Duval Teachers United (DTU). United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents, Brady and George were the President and Executive Vice President of DTU, a labor union that represents Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) teachers, paraprofessionals, and office personnel. DTU has approximately 6,500 members and represents approximately 80% of eligible DCPS employees. DTU's annual revenue is approximately $5 million, which is comprised of funds paid by dues-paying members.

From 2013 to 2022, Brady and George engaged in a conspiracy to steal more than $1.2 million apiece from DTU by selling back to DTU leave time that they had not accrued or earned, and by paying themselves unauthorized bonuses and fake reimbursements. They concealed their scheme by providing false information to DTU's auditor, and by signing each other's checks when distributing the unaccrued and unearned payments, hiding those distributions from the DTU Secretary/Treasurer and its board of directors. Brady and George also hid their embezzlement from the State of Florida's Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC), in legally required annual financial statement filings, some of which were mailed to PERC.

"Individuals who exploit their authority for personal gain and betray the trust placed in them will face justice," said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. "This case sends a clear message: IRS Criminal Investigation stands firm with our federal partners in relentlessly pursuing those who engage in fraud and corruption, no matter how long the scheme lasts. Our mission is to protect the integrity of our institutions and ensure justice for the victims."

"This sentencing demonstrates that individuals who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will be held accountable," said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. "Brady and George engaged in a prolonged scheme that harmed the members and integrity of the organization she was entrusted to lead. The FBI is committed to working with our partners to detect and disrupt complex financial fraud crimes."

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Coolican and Kelly S. Milliron, and former Assistant United States Attorney A. Tysen Duva. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Harrington and Julie Simonsen handled the forfeiture and restitution matters.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.