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| Dennis Hastert pleads guilty in hush money case | |
| (6 months later) | |
| 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". | 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. | "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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | He was first elected to the House in 1987. |