Hastert pleads guilty to charges in hush money case

Posted on October 28, 2015

By Joe Ragusa

CHICAGO – Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert has pleaded guilty to federal bank fraud charges.

The 73-year-old Republican from Illinois entered the plea in federal court Wednesday morning.

Hastert admitted to withdrawing a total of $952,000 in increments below $10,000 to avoid federal reporting requirements. He withdrew the money between April 2012 and December 2014. Then, he lied to the FBI and told investigators that he was keeping the money for himself.

He told Judge Thomas Durkin Wednesday he didn’t want federal authorities to know what he was spending the money on.

An indictment accused Hastert of giving the money to a person known only as “Individual A” to cover up “prior misconduct.” Multiple reports say Hastert sexually molested male students at Yorkville High School, where he was a teacher and wrestling coach from 1965 to 1981.

Hastert will be sentenced Feb. 29. A federal prosecutor recommended zero to six months in prison. The maximum sentence is five years.

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