NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In a notable case of public corruption, former state Representative Robin Smith has been sentenced to eight months in prison following her involvement in a taxpayer-funded mail business scheme. Smith, a Republican, had previously pled guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud and had cooperated with the federal government in the prosecution of former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his chief of staff, Cade Cothren.
During her sentencing hearing this past Friday, Smith remorsefully stated, I failed the trust of the public, and expressed her parents' teachings that she should act more honorably. She is set to report to prison by January 5.
As part of her plea deal, Smith agreed to provide full and truthful testimony, which she did earlier this year in the corruption trial of Casada and Cothren. In May, a jury found Casada guilty on 17 out of 19 charges, while Cothren was convicted on all counts against him. The judge later acquitted both men of three counts but upheld substantial convictions against them.
The corruption trial highlighted actions taken following Casada's resignation in 2019 due to controversies, even while he continued to serve as a lawmaker. Prosecutors revealed that Smith, Casada, and Cothren conspired to create a fictitious individual named Matthew Phoenix to facilitate their illegal activities. This scheme resulted in approximately $52,000 in taxpayer money diverted to companies associated with them.
In her testimony, Smith acknowledged that the aim of the scheme was to obscure the real identity behind Phoenix Solutions to protect those involved from scrutiny due to prior scandals. Despite attempts from defense attorneys to question her credibility, U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson emphasized Smith's significant involvement, stating, We elect public officials to do the right thing. Smith, who was elected to the Tennessee House in 2018, resigned her position as part of the plea deal in early 2022.
