Man who accused Dennis Hastert of sex abuse sues him for $1.8 million
A man who has accused former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of sexually abusing him when he was a teenager is suing him for $1.8 million in damages.
The complaint, which was filed Monday in Illinois' Kendall County Circuit Court and identifies the man as "James Doe," says that Hastert was a "trusted friend of Doe's family."
When the man, who is also known as "Individual A" was 14 years old, the complaint says Hastert invited him to a wrestling camp meant for high school athletes even though he wasn't in high school. This happened sometime during Hastert's time at Yorkville High School in a Chicago suburb from 1965 to 1981.
"Doe agreed to go to the camp with Hastert and other students. While at the camp, defendant violated the special trust [Doe] placed in [Hastert] by sexually molesting and abusing [Doe] in a motel room occupied by [Doe] and [Hastert] alone," the complaint says.
It goes on to say that the man suffered for years of severe panic attacks, bouts of depression, unemployment, careers changes, hospitalization and long-term psychiatric treatment.
In 2008, the man learned of someone else who had accused Hastert of abuse and confronted Hastert directly. Hastert agreed to pay the man $3.5 million to keep him quiet about the sexual abuse and from June 2010 to December 2014, Hastert paid the man $1.7 million of the total compensation. His withdrawals of the money is what led to the federal investigation that led to him being charged with breaking banking laws.
But because Hastert breached the agreement, the man is now seeking $1.8 million.
The complaint was filed only two days before Hastert, 74, is set to be sentenced. Prosecutors have recommended that a federal judge sentence Hastert to six months in prison. He pleaded guilty last October and suffered a stroke in November.
Earlier this month, The Chicago Tribune reported that at least four people have made "credible allegations of sexual abuse" against Hastert. One of them is Individual A, who is now a middle-aged husband and father, according to the report. It also found out that one of them is dead and another man, known as Individual D, has become a successful businessman.
In a recent memo, Hastert's attorneys said he is "profoundly sorry" for what happened and they asked that he only receive probation instead of a prison sentence.
On Friday, Former Senate Majority Leader Tom DeLay and several other former lawmakers and a onetime CIA chief wrote a letter asking for leniency in Hastert's case.
Hastert served in Congress from 1987 to 2007, and was speaker from 1999 to 2007.