Former Teachers Union Leaders Allegedly Stole $2 MILLION From Organization

Two former leaders of Duval Teachers United in Florida face serious charges for allegedly embezzling over $2 million from the union, raising questions about financial oversight and transparency in educational organizations.

At a Glance

  • Terrie Brady and Ruby George, former leaders of Duval Teachers United, indicted for embezzlement and fraud
  • Charges include conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering
  • Alleged theft of over $2.6 million through fraudulent vacation claims
  • Both face up to 20 years in prison for each count if convicted
  • Case highlights concerns about union financial management and transparency

Union Leaders Face Serious Charges

In a shocking turn of events, Teresa Brady and Ruby George, former leaders of Duval Teachers United in Jacksonville, Florida, have been indicted on multiple charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. The indictment, revealed by the U.S. Department of Justice, alleges that the pair orchestrated a scheme to defraud their own union of over $2.6 million.

Brady, who served as the union’s president, faces additional charges of money laundering. The gravity of these accusations is reflected in the potential sentences: both women could face up to 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy, wire fraud, and mail fraud. Brady’s money laundering charges carry an additional potential 10-year sentence per count.

Wow.

The Alleged Scheme

So here’s how it happened.

According to the indictment, Brady and George, who held the positions of President and Executive Vice President of Duval Teachers United respectively, allegedly conspired to steal over $1.2 million each from the union through a fraudulent scheme involving unearned leave time. The duo is accused of selling back vacation time they had not actually accrued, effectively siphoning funds from the union’s coffers.

The indictment further alleges that Brady and George went to great lengths to conceal their actions. They reportedly provided false information to auditors and engaged in a practice of signing each other’s checks to avoid detection. Brady is specifically accused of using the proceeds from this fraud to make personal credit card debt payments, further compounding the severity of the charges.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had a good take on it.

“Having partisan groups basically get special privileges for deductions and all these other stuff, you know, that doesn’t work and so, I think this will be a huge, huge boon for transparency and efficiency in our school system,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said.

This case also has far-reaching implications for Duval Teachers United and potentially for other educational unions across the country. The union, which represents approximately 13,000 teachers and school employees and is affiliated with major national teachers’ associations, now faces a crisis of confidence. With an annual revenue of about $5 million, the alleged theft of over $2.6 million represents a significant portion of the union’s financial resources.

The scandal has already led to the resignation of Brady and George, who had led the union for 24 years. It also casts a shadow over Brady’s previous accolades, including a lifetime achievement award from the Florida Education Association in 2022.

How often do you think crimes like this are taking place?