http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...stert-indicted
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert indicted
In a stunning development, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert today was indicted on federal financial misconduct and perjury charges.
A federal indictment released this afternoon accuses the Plano Republican of disguising the withdrawal of nearly $1 million from various financial accounts to avoid federal disclosure requirements, and of lying to the FBI about the matter.
The federal charges allege that the money was part of $3.5 million that Hastert was paying an unnamed “Individual A” in order “to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct” against that individual.
Details about exactly why Hastert would be paying someone $3.5 million were not immediately available. But the indictment strongly suggests Hastert needed the money because he was being blackmailed.
"In or about 2010, Individual A met with (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," the indictment states. "Shortly thereafter, defendant began providing Individual A cash payments."
The indictment says the FBI questioned Hastert about, among other things, whether he "was the victim of criminal extortion related to among other matters, his prior positions in government."
News of the charges against a man who long has been one of the better-liked politicians in the state appeared to catch close friends and longtime associates by surprise.
According to the indictment, Hastert agreed to pay the money beginning in 2010. From 2010 to 2014 he allegedly withdrew $1.7 million in cash from various accounts.
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