A judge on Tuesday dismissed the lawsuit brought by a choreographer who alleged Michael Jackson molested him as a child, resolving one of the last major claims against the late singer’s holdings. Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff’s summary judgment ruling against the now-35-year-old Wade Robson found that the two Jackson-owned corporations, which were the remaining defendants in the case, were not liable for Robson’s exposure to Jackson. He did not rule on the credibility of Robson’s allegations themselves. Robson’s attorney, Vince Finaldi, said he strongly disagrees and plans to appeal. Robson, a native of Australia who has worked with Britney Spears and NSYNC, met Jackson when he was 5 years old.
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's arraignment on federal charges has been rescheduled.
A judge has ordered the hearing, originally scheduled for Thursday morning at the Dirksen Federal Building Courthouse in Chicago, to be moved to 2 p.m. on June 9. There was no explanation for the change.
The Department of Justice and IRS allege Hastert, 73, withdrew $1.7 million from various banks between 2010 to 2014 and provided the funds to an unnamed person "to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct."
The government will be represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Block. No attorney was listed as of Monday for Hastert.
A federal law enforcement official told NBC News on Friday that Hastert was making payments to a man in order to conceal a sexual relationship they had while the man was a student at Yorkville High School.
Hastert was indicted Thursday with making regular withdrawals from his bank accounts below a limit that would require reporting and then lying to federal officials when asked about those withdrawals.
The indictment accused Hastert of promising a total of $3.5 million to the unnamed person.
The indictment did not specify the alleged misconduct or identify "Individual A" other than saying the person was someone from Yorkville, Illinois, where Hastert was employed as teacher and wrestling coach from 1965 to 1981.
District officials on Friday said they had no knowledge of any alleged misconduct.
Hastert's name was removed Thursday from the Washington, D.C. lobbying and law firm where he worked, and a spokesperson there said Hastert had resigned.
If convicted of the charges against him, Hastert faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
