Overview

• U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson sentenced Casada to 36 months, a $30,000 fine, $4,643.60 forfeiture, and one year of supervised release, according to the Justice Department.
• Cade Cothren, Casada’s former chief of staff, received a 30‑month sentence on Sept. 16 along with a $25,000 fine.
• Prosecutors said the scheme used a sham vendor, Phoenix Solutions, and a fictitious consultant identity to secure state‑funded mailer work, conceal Cothren’s role, and route kickbacks through personal consulting firms.
• The court previously granted limited acquittals on three counts, leaving Casada convicted on 14 counts and Cothren on 16, including conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, using a fictitious name, and money laundering.
• Phoenix Solutions received about $52,000 in state payments at issue in the case and roughly $159,496 in caucus and campaign revenue, with the FBI Nashville Field Office leading the investigation.