Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The former congressman has not spoken publically about the federal indictment

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert has pleaded not guilty to charges he paid someone off to stay quiet about past wrongdoing.

The plea was entered by his lawyers acting on behalf of the 73-year-old at the US District Court in Chicago.

The FBI said Mr Hastert broke federal banking laws by withdrawing hundreds of thousands of dollars at once.

The pay-off is related to allegations of sexual abuse, according to US media, but there are no sex charges.

According to the indictment, Mr Hastert paid "Individual A" $3.5m (£2.3m) to not speak up about "prior misconduct" against the person.

He paid nearly half of the money before federal agents noticed.

He has not spoken about the allegations, which relate to when he was a high school teacher and wrestling coach at Yorkville High School in Illinois in the 1970s.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mr Hastert was a wrestling coach and teacher at Yorkville High School

Judge Thomas M Durkin set a bond of $4,500 (£2,9250 ) and ordered him to surrender his passport.

His lawyer, Thomas C Green, has seen a handful of other high-profile, US politician-involved cases like the Watergate scandal with former US president Richard Nixon.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Reinboldt did not reveal the abuse to his sister until years later, when he revealed he was gay

According to Jolene Burdge, her late brother Stephen Reinboldt told her he was sexually abused by Mr Hastert.

Ms Burdge said she was never paid by Mr Hastert, so the indictment shows there could be other victims.

Reinboldt told his sister about the alleged sexual abuse years after it happened, in 1979, when he revealed to her he was gay.

The FBI interviewed Ms Burdge last month, she said.