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Dennis Hastert pleads guilty in hush-money case | Dennis Hastert pleads guilty in hush-money case |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Former US Speaker of the House of Representatives Dennis Hastert has pleaded guilty in a case tied to hush-money. | Former US Speaker of the House of Representatives Dennis Hastert has pleaded guilty in a case tied to hush-money. |
The 73-year-old was charged with lying and breaking financial laws in an attempt to pay $3.5m (£2.3m) to cover up "misconduct". | The 73-year-old was charged with lying and breaking financial laws in an attempt to pay $3.5m (£2.3m) to cover up "misconduct". |
The admission is part of deal with prosecutors that could see Mr Hastert serve up to six months in prison. | The admission is part of deal with prosecutors that could see Mr Hastert serve up to six months in prison. |
The plea represents a dramatic fall for the former senior US politician. | The plea represents a dramatic fall for the former senior US politician. |
The plea agreement, seen by the BBC, says that Mr Hastert "agrees to enter a voluntary plea of guilty to Count 2", which charged him with "structuring and assisting in structuring currency transactions". | |
"Structuring" is a term used to describe the act of removing several small sums of money (in this case less than $10,000) in order to avoid rules that require banks to report large transactions. | |
Count 1 alleged that Mr Hastert had lied to the FBI during the investigation. The agreement says that prosecutors will ask for this charge to be dismissed once the sentence for Count 2 has been imposed. | |
Media reports suggest the charges may be connected to his history as a teacher and wrestling coach in Illinois in the 1970s. | |
One woman has said Mr Hastert sexually abused her brother then and she believes he was not the only victim. | One woman has said Mr Hastert sexually abused her brother then and she believes he was not the only victim. |
Mr Hastert was not charged with sexual abuse as part of the case. | Mr Hastert was not charged with sexual abuse as part of the case. |
Jolene Burdge told ABC News in June that her late brother Steve Reinboldt never came forward about the alleged abuse because he feared "no-one would believe him". | Jolene Burdge told ABC News in June that her late brother Steve Reinboldt never came forward about the alleged abuse because he feared "no-one would believe him". |
She said he told her about the abuse in 1979, when he revealed he was gay. | She said he told her about the abuse in 1979, when he revealed he was gay. |
The FBI interviewed Ms Burdge, who has considered coming forward with her brother's story in the past, in May. | The FBI interviewed Ms Burdge, who has considered coming forward with her brother's story in the past, in May. |
Ms Burdge never asked Mr Hastert for money, but she thinks the unnamed person cited in the case as being paid off knows what happened to her brother. | Ms Burdge never asked Mr Hastert for money, but she thinks the unnamed person cited in the case as being paid off knows what happened to her brother. |
Mr Hastert served as speaker of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007, when he resigned from the chamber after the Republicans lost control. | |
He was first elected to the House in 1987. |