Federal prosecutors have said that former House Speaker Dennis Hastert sexually abused at least four boys when he worked as a wrestling coach at a high school in Illinois decades ago.

The stunning allegations against Hastert, the longest-running Republican speaker of the House, were detailed in documents released by the prosecutors yesterday, reports CNN.

The revelation comes days before his April 27 sentencing in a financial violation case. He pleaded guilty last year to structuring money transactions to evade reporting where he took massive amounts of funds he was withdrawing.

The transactions involved $3.5 million he paid in hush money to one of his accusers, said investigators.

Prosecutors listed four boys Hastert allegedly abused when he coached at a high school in Yorkville, Illinois.

According to the document, an additional one, a fifth student, died years after the abuse, reports CNN.

Accuser allegedly paid off

The accusations came to light after investigation revealed that he was paying an ex-student to stay quiet about sexual abuse allegations.

The student was among four others who told investigators he abused them, including one who was 14 at the time, the prosecutors allege.

The allegations date to the 1960s and 1970s, according to the prosecutors' court filing, reports CNN.

Hastert will not face sexual abuse charges because the statutes of limitation have expired.

Massages, sex acts alleged

All those who accused him of sexual abuse were wrestlers at the high school, according to the documents.

In two separate cases, Hastert massaged one boy each in a locker room and performed unspecified sexual acts on them, prosecutors allege.

In another instance, he allegedly massaged a boy's groin area and singled him out to stay in his hotel room during a wrestling camp.

According to another accuser, Hastert touched him inappropriately in a "very weird" way while he was a student, CNN reports quoting the prosecutors.

"The actions at the core of this case took place not on the defendant's national public stage but in his private one-on-one encounters in an empty locker room and a motel room with minors that violated the special trust between those young boys and their coach," prosecutors said.

During his time at Yorkville High School, Hastert was a beloved coach. He was named Illinois Coach of the Year after leading the wrestling team to the state championship.

Apology

CNN has reached out to Hastert's attorneys, but has not heard back.

Before details of the sexual abuse allegations came to light, Hastert apologized this week for an unspecified misconduct.

"Mr. Hastert is deeply sorry and apologizes for his misconduct that occurred decades ago and the resulting harm he caused to others," his attorneys wrote, adding "He will stand before the court having deteriorated both physically and emotionally, undoubtedly in part due to public shaming and humiliation of an unprecedented degree."

While awaiting sentencing in the financial misconduct, Hastert was hospitalized with various ailments late last year, including a stroke and sepsis.

His attorneys have asked for probation instead of jail time in the financial case.

Hastert served as the Republican speaker of the House between 1999-2007.