Former Duval Teachers United leaders await federal sentencing in Jacksonville for $2.6 million fraud scheme

Sentencing set after guilty pleas tied to yearslong leave-time scheme

Two former top leaders of Duval Teachers United (DTU), the union representing thousands of Duval County Public Schools employees, are scheduled for sentencing in federal court in Jacksonville on Monday, February 9, 2026, after pleading guilty to fraud charges connected to a $2.6 million scheme involving union funds.

Teresa “Terrie” Brady, DTU’s longtime president, and Ruby George, the union’s former executive vice president, admitted their roles in a case centered on payments for leave time that prosecutors say was not earned. Federal court filings describe a scheme that ran from 2013 through 2022 and involved converting union funds into personal income by submitting and approving leave cash-out paperwork.

What prosecutors say happened

Federal charging documents alleged that Brady and George each received more than $1.2 million through payments labeled as leave buybacks. Prosecutors said the two concealed the activity through internal approval practices, including signing checks for one another, and by providing false information to auditors. The case also included allegations that required annual financial disclosures to Florida’s public-sector labor oversight body omitted the improper compensation.

Brady also faced money-laundering allegations tied to transactions involving fraud proceeds, including payments on personal credit card debt, and she ultimately pleaded guilty to a money-laundering count in addition to fraud charges.

Guilty pleas and potential penalties

• George pleaded guilty in August 2025 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, and to aiding and abetting wire fraud and mail fraud.
• Brady pleaded guilty in October 2025 to conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering.

Each wire- and mail-fraud count carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, while the money-laundering count carries a statutory maximum of 10 years. Actual sentences are determined by a federal judge, informed by sentencing guidelines and the facts established in court.

Sentencing positions filed ahead of the hearing

In filings submitted in early February 2026, federal prosecutors asked the court to impose a 36-month prison sentence on Brady, citing guideline calculations that placed the recommended range at roughly three years. The defense urged a probationary sentence with home confinement and ongoing restitution payments. Separate defense filings for George asked the court to weigh her health issues and other factors in determining a sentence.

The case centers on union funds and internal controls within an organization funded by member dues and tasked with representing public school employees.

DTU’s leadership has previously stated that the organization cooperated with law enforcement and took steps to strengthen financial safeguards following the investigation.