The feds don’t specify the misconduct or name the person Hastert allegedly paid. But they say “Individual A” lived in Yorkville, where Hastert was a wrestling coach and high school teacher for years, and knew Hastert for “most of Individual A’s life.” Hastert, 73, of Plano, once second in line to the presidency, is believed to be the highest ranking Illinois politician ever to be criminally charged. The indictment stunned the Illinois political establishment. Hastert is accused of splitting up the withdrawal of a total of $952,000 to avoid the requirement that banks must report withdrawals of more than $10,000. When asked about it by the FBI in the December 2014, he allegedly lied and said he was keeping the cash. In 2010, Hastert met with Individual A multiple times and they discussed “past misconduct” by Hastert that” had occurred years earlier,” according to indictment. Hastert eventually agreed to pay the person $3.5 million “to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct,” according to the indictment. From 2010 to 2014, Hastert withdrew about $1.7 million in cash from various bank accounts and provided it to the individual, according to the indictment. From June 2010 to April 2012, he made about 15 withdrawals of $50,000 each from accounts he controlled at three banks. In April 2012, bank representatives questioned Hastert about one of those $50,000 withdrawals. After that, in July 2012, Hastert allegedly started taking out cash withdrawals in increments of less than $10,000 to evade the filing of what are called Currency Transaction Reports or CTRs. Banks have to file those reports for withdrawals of more than $10,000. When FBI agents questioned him about it, Hastert allegedly said he did not feel safe with the banking system and said “Yeah . . . I kept the cash. That’s what I’m doing.” Originally posted on Chicago Suntimes.