Following an FBI investigation, the 73-year-old Republican was accused of paying a person known only as "Individual A" to remain quiet about the speaker’s alleged sexual misconduct during his time as a high school wrestling and football coach.
According to federal sources, Individual A was a student at the school where Hastert taught for sixteen years before entering politics. The student was paid a total of $3.5 million.
Hastert served in the House of Representatives for 20 years before succeeding Newt Gingrich as Speaker of the House. He retired after the 2006 elections, when Democrats took control of the House.