Dennis Hastert Indicted in 'Hush Money' Case

Dennis Hastert — the small-town high school coach-turned-congressman who ascended to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives — is accused of lying to the FBI and evading federal rules governing bank transactions in a federal indictment unveiled Thursday.

Hastert withdrew $1.7 million from several banks between 2010 to 2014 and gave the cash to a person identified as “Individual A” by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Hastert took the money out of the banks in amounts less than $10,000 to conceal the transactions from bank regulators and avoid the required “currency transaction reports,” according to the indictment.

Hastert, 73, of Plano, told the FBI in December the cash was for himself, but prosecutors allege Hastert paid off someone “to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct.”

Federal authorities have not disclosed what that “prior misconduct” might be that required the hefty “hush money” payoffs.

The indictment alleges that Hastert promised this person more than $3 million to compensate for his “misconduct.” Individual A is a resident of Yorkville and has known Hastert for most of A’s life, according to the indictment.

The indictment states:

In or about 2010, Individual A met with defendant JOHN DENNIS HASTERT multiple times. During at least one of the meetings, Individual A and defendant discussed past misconduct by defendant against Individual A that had occurred years earlier.

During the 2010 meetings and subsequent discussions, defendant JOHN DENNIS HASTERT agreed to provide Individual A $3.5 million in order to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct against Individual A.

Shortly thereafter, defendant began providing Individual A cash payments.

If convicted, Hastert could get five years in prison for each count and be fined $250,000. As speaker, he was once second in line to the presidency. He’s believed to be the highest-ranking political figure from Illinois ever to be indicted.

In an interview in Washington, D.C., recently with POLITICO, Hastert was asked about rumors he was facing legal trouble and indictment. He denied he had problems with the IRS or was about to be indicted.

“I read what you heard but that’s not correct,” Hastert said. “I’m not going to talk to you.”

Before entering politics, Hastert was a high school teacher and wrestling coach in Yorkville between 1965 and 1981. He served in the state legislature until 1986. The Kendall County Republican represented the 14th Congressional District for 20 years, from 1987 to 2007. He served as Speaker from 1999 to 2007. He’s been a lobbyist since 2008.

Hastert, who was born in Aurora in 1942, grew up in Oswego and graduated from Wheaton College in 1964 and from Northern Illinois University in 1967. As a youngster, he worked in his family’s restaurant in Plainfield, according to his biography.

This story is developing; check Patch for more information.