One of his accusers, who was a 17-year-old wrestler when he claims
Hastert performed a sex act on him after a practice, is expected to
testify at the sentencing hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The person, named as Individual D in court documents, will be the
first of five accusers identified by federal prosecutors to make a
public statement about Hastert. The sister of one of them, who is
now deceased, is also expected to testify.
Prosecutors had asked for a maximum 6-month sentence, plus
probation, in exchange for Hastert's guilty plea in October to a
financial crime known as structuring, which entails withdrawing
large sums of money in small increments to evade bank rules about
reporting major cash movements. He was paying the money to one of
his alleged victims.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Durkin has the discretion to impose
a sentence of up to 5 years, the statutory maximum.
Hastert's attorneys have asked the judge for a probation-only
sentence, noting his ill health, remorse, and long history of public
service. Hastert, 74, was hospitalized last year for a blood
infection and he also suffered a stroke.
Prosecutors have argued that not only has Hastert been accused of
abusing teenaged wrestlers in his hometown of Yorkville, Illinois,
but he also lied to federal authorities who asked him in 2014 about
the cash withdrawals.
Hastert, who was the longest-serving Republican House speaker in
history and later a lobbyist, told agents for the Federal Bureau of
Investigation that he was being extorted by someone who had falsely
accused him of abuse.
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The agents listened in on telephone calls Hastert had with that
person, identified only as Individual A.
Federal prosecutors have said that in the calls it became clear that
Hastert had entered an agreement to pay Individual A $3.5 million to
compensate him for pain and suffering from sexual abuse when he was
14.
Individual A is not expected to testify at the sentencing. On
Monday, using the name James Doe, he sued Hastert for $1.8 million,
saying he had received only $1.7 million of the promised
compensation.
Hastert was not charged with sex abuse because the statute of
limitations had run out.
(Reporting by Fiona Ortiz)
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