Dennis Hastert, former House speaker and convicted sex offender, dies at 84

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who served 20 years in Congress, has died at 84 after serving prison time for financial crimes.

Editorial Desk

October 5, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Aurora, Illinois — Dennis Hastert, the former U.S. House speaker and one of the highest-ranking elected officials to serve prison time, has passed away at the age of 84, according to a Kendall County coroner.

Hastert, who represented Illinois for two decades, was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2016 for concealing payments made to victims of his sexual abuse as a high school wrestling coach. He died at home over the weekend due to natural causes, with no further details released by authorities.

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Born in 1942 in Aurora, Illinois, Hastert graduated from Wheaton College and earned a teaching degree from Northern Illinois University. He coached wrestling and taught for 16 years before entering politics. His career took a dramatic turn after he admitted to sexually abusing teenage boys during his coaching days, leading to legal consequences and a lasting stain on his legacy.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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