The Illinois Republican is accused of structuring the withdrawal of $925,000 in small amounts in order to evade the requirement that banks document and report cash transactions over $10,000 and of then lying to federal investigators in order to cover it up. Each of the offenses carries up to a 5 year prison sentence and $250,000 in fines.
Hastert, who served as speaker of the House of Representatives for eight years, is purported to have met with “particular person A” in 2010. The indictment alleges that during one of those conferences, they discussed alleged prior misconduct.
Further reports indicate the the prior misconduct was sexual in nature.
The indictment says that Hastert then agreed to give $3.5 million “with the intention to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct towards individual A.” The indictment does not describe the alleged misconduct.
From 2010 to 2014, Hastert withdrew a total of approximately $1.7 million in cash from various financial institutions and gave it to “person A”, according to the indictment.
In April 2012, bank officials began questioning Hastert about the large withdrawals, and starting in July of that yr, Hastert decreased the amounts he withdrew at a time to less than $10,000.
Investigators questioned Hastert on Dec. 8, 2014about why he had been withdrawing money in such amounts. He informed investigators he did it as a result of having little confidence in the banking system.
A spokesman for the lobbying and legislation firm where Hastert worked in Washington, D.C., noted Hastert has resigned his position.
The web site for Dickstein Shapiro LLC has eliminated Hastert’s biography as a “featured legal professional.”
As speaker, Hastert pushed President George W. Bush’s legislative agenda, helping circulate a large tax cut and expanding Medicare prescription drug benefits. He changed into the longest-serving Republican speaker, until losing his position when the GOP lost the house in 2006.
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