Dennis Hastert Wants Return Of $1.7 Million 'Hush Money' From Sex Abuse Victim

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Jan 20, 2017 2:24PM

Former Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert, sentenced to 15 months in jail for federal financial crimes stemming from his attempts to pay off a man he allegedly sexually abused years ago, is now trying to get that man to return $1 million in so-called "hush money" to him.

Hastert's allegedly molested the man, known in the press anonymously "Individual A," when the man was a teenager and Hastert was his high school wrestling coach in Illinois in the '70s. Though he was not tried and sentenced for sex crimes, Hastert's alleged sexual abuse of at least four teenagers he met during his time as a wrestling coach was discussed in court, leading the judge who oversaw his case to call him a "serial child molester."

The story of Individual A, whom Hastert reportedly paid off to keep him quiet over the years as he ran for office and eventually became a prominent Republican politician, came out after the FBI began investigating his financial transactions for impropriety. Hastert was charged with financial crimes and lying to the FBI in 2015 (the statute of limitations is up on the abuse allegations) and convicted and sentenced last year.

Hastert, who is currently in the middle of serving his prison sentence, is back in the news after filing a motion this week in court claiming that Individual A should owe him $1.7 million—the amount of money Hastert paid him in exchange for a promise not to reveal the abuse to authorities. Hastert reportedly promised Individual A $3.5 million in hush money, and the man has demanded that Hastert pay him the remaining $1.8 million he did not receive.

Hastert's attorney claims that Hastert denies that there was ever a "valid and enforceable contract" with Individual A, but argues that if there ever was, then that agreement would be meant to stay "confidential for the remainder of his life," according to the Sun-Times.

In response, Kristi Browne, Individual A’s attorney, said in a statement:

“Mr. Hastert has decided that rather than live up to his promise to compensate his victim for his molestation and resulting injury, he will ask his victim to pay him. He admits to agreeing to make payments, but then denies that it is an agreement that he has to keep. His response is predictable and we look forward to entering the discovery phase of the case.”