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Dennis Hastert
Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (R-IL)
Longest-serving Republican Speaker who was convicted of structuring bank withdrawals to conceal hush money payments to a former student he had sexually abused as a high school wrestling coach
Overview
John Dennis Hastert served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007 - the longest-serving Republican Speaker in history and second in the presidential line of succession. In May 2015, he was indicted on federal charges of structuring bank withdrawals to evade reporting requirements and lying to the FBI. The underlying conduct was devastating: Hastert was paying $3.5 million in hush money to a former student ("Individual A") to conceal that Hastert had sexually abused him while serving as a wrestling coach at Yorkville High School in Illinois in the 1960s-1970s. At sentencing, federal judge Thomas Durkin called Hastert a "serial child molester," and at least four former students came forward with abuse allegations. Hastert had paid $1.7 million of the $3.5 million before the FBI detected the structured withdrawals. He was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and required to register as a sex offender. The case exposed how the third-most-powerful person in America had been a predator who leveraged institutional power throughout his career.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Convicted of structuring bank withdrawals to conceal $3.5M hush money payments to sexual abuse victim
Called "serial child molester" by federal judge at sentencing - at least 4 former students alleged abuse
Sexually abused students while serving as high school wrestling coach 1965-1981
Second in presidential line of succession while concealing predatory past
Post-Speaker career as lobbyist earning $2M+/year at Dickstein Shapiro
Related Investigations (1)
Criminal Charges & Violations
2 documented violations
31 U.S.C. 5324Structuring bank withdrawals to evade currency transaction reporting requirements(federal)
18 U.S.C. 1001Making false statements to FBI agents regarding purpose of withdrawals(federal)
Known Associates & Connections
Tom DeLay
House Majority Leader under Hastert; also later convicted
Sources & Documentation
1 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Born
- January 2, 1942
- Birthplace
- Aurora, Illinois
- Also Known As
- Denny
Education
- •Wheaton College (B.A.)
- •Northern Illinois University (M.S.)
Key Timeline
1965
Begins teaching and coaching wrestling at Yorkville High School
1987-01
Takes office as U.S. Representative for IL-14
1999-01-06
Elected Speaker of the House
2007-01
Leaves Congress; becomes lobbyist at Dickstein Shapiro
2010-2014
Makes structured withdrawals totaling $1.7M to Individual A
2015-05-28
Indicted on federal structuring and false statements charges
2015-10-28
Pleads guilty to structuring charges
2016-04-27
Sentenced to 15 months; judge calls him "serial child molester"