Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) died at his home over the weekend at the age of 84. Kendall County Coroner Jacquie Purcell confirmed on Monday, October 5, 2026, that Hastert passed away due to natural causes.
Hastert represented Illinois’ 14th Congressional District from 1987 to 2007 and served as Speaker of the House from 1999 to 2007. He was the longest-serving Republican speaker in U.S. history, succeeding Newt Gingrich and eventually being succeeded by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) after Democrats won the chamber in the 2006 midterms. Following his departure from Congress, he worked as a lobbyist and consultant.
In 2016, Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine for violating banking laws. The charges stemmed from Hastert withdrawing large amounts of cash to pay hush money to conceal his past sexual abuse of boys while he was a high school wrestling coach. During his sentencing, U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin described Hastert as a "serial child molester." Hastert admitted to the abuse in court but was not charged with sex-related crimes because the statutes of limitations had expired. He was released from prison in 2017 after serving 13 months.
For the residents of Illinois' 14th district, Hastert was a representative for 20 years. Nationally, his 2016 conviction and 15-month sentence followed an FBI and IRS investigation into structured bank transactions intended to evade federal reporting requirements. This investigation ultimately resulted in his public admission of abuse involving students he coached between 1965 and 1981.
No further details regarding funeral arrangements or memorial services were reported by the coroner’s office. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Zachary Farden, stated at the time of Hastert's 2016 sentencing that the former Speaker’s "legend and legacy are gone," leaving behind a "humiliated man." The Kendall County Coroner's office has not released additional information beyond the cause of death.