Former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in a corruption scheme that funneled taxpayer money through a fake company created by his former chief of staff, Cade Cothren. A jury found Casada guilty on 17 counts, including wire fraud and money laundering, while Cothren was convicted on all charges and received a two-and-a-half-year sentence. Prosecutors said the pair defrauded the state by using a fictitious business, Phoenix Solutions, to collect more than $50,000 in taxpayer-funded contracts. The scandal, which followed years of controversy surrounding Casada’s leadership, has fueled debate across Tennessee political circles. Both Casada and Cothren maintain their innocence and plan to appeal their convictions, with Casada set to report to prison on November 21.