A Nashville federal jury has convicted former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his ex-chief of staff, Cade Cothren, on corruption charges tied to a fake mailer company.
Casada was found guilty on 17 counts, while Cothren was convicted on all 19 for their roles in a scheme that funneled $52,000 in taxpayer money through a sham business called Phoenix Solutions.
The pair used aliases and false paperwork to mask their involvement, with Casada’s girlfriend even posing as a fake employee; the plot unraveled after former Rep. Robin Smith pleaded guilty and cooperated with federal investigators. Sentencing is set for September, with both men facing up to 20 years behind bars.