US EditionCasada Aide Cade Cothren Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison
Cothren's 30-month prison sentence includes a $25,000 fine and one year probation for orchestrating a $158,000 kickback scheme through a secret company exploiting state funds.
- On September 16 in Nashville, Cade Cothren, formerly chief of staff to ex-Speaker Glen Casada, received a prison sentence of 30 months for his role in a corruption scheme involving state political mailers.
- The sentencing came after several months of court actions following a 2022 grand jury indictment of Cothren and Casada on numerous counts related to corrupt practices, fraudulent electronic communications, and financial crimes connected to Phoenix Solutions.
- Prosecutors argued the defendants used political influence to funnel more than $51,000 in state payments through fraudulent mail contracts, while the defense claimed they simply operated a legitimate business and lawmakers received the services paid for.
- Judge Richardson discounted the federal sentencing guidelines of 63-78 months, citing variances like Cothren's clean record, and reduced the sentence by 50%, noting this case "did not need to happen" and causes government cynicism.
- Cothren also must pay a $25,000 fine and serve one year of probation, while Casada’s sentencing was postponed to September 23, reflecting ongoing legal resolutions in this corruption case.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Top aide to former Tennessee House speaker sentenced
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The former top aide to a previous Tennessee House Speaker was sentenced Tuesday after a jury found him guilty of defrauding the state. Cade Cothren, 38, was indicted by a federal grand jury for alleged involvement in a bribery and kickback conspiracy related to a money-making scheme involving political matters in 2022. In May, a jury found Cothren guilty in connection to the scheme. Former state Speaker of the House Gle…
Former chief of staff to former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada sentenced to 30 months in prison
The sentencing hearing for former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada has now pushed back because the sentencing for his longtime aide Cade Cothren took much longer than expected.
Tennessee Republican gets prison in 'intricate' money laundering scheme
Former Tennessee House staffer Cothren sentenced to 30 months in prisonby Sam Stockard, Tennessee Lookout September 16, 2025A former House staffer was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine for his role in a kickback scheme using the state’s constituent mailer pro...
Tennessee Republican sentenced to 30 months in prison for 'intricate' money laundering
A former House staffer was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine for his role in a kickback scheme using the state’s constituent mailer program.Cade Cothren, who resigned as chief of staff to former Speaker Glen Casada in 2019, will also be required to remain on probation for one year after serving his time in federal prison. Attorneys for Cothren said they would appeal the convictions from a four-week jury t…
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