Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert will be arraigned this week following an indictment that alleges he agreed to pay $3.5 million in hush money to someone from the town where he was once a teacher and coach.
Judge Thomas M. Durkin's office told The Associated Press on Monday that the Illinois Republican is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The 73-year-old Hastert was indicted last week on one count of evading bank regulations by withdrawing $952,000 in increments of less than $10,000 to skirt reporting requirements. He also is charged with lying to the FBI. Each count carries a maximum 5-years prison term.
The indictment doesn't say what Hastert was allegedly trying to hide or to whom he intended to pay the money.
