Former Mass. Speaker to also face extortion charge

BOSTON—Federal prosecutors have added extortion to the list of charges facing former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi in connection with an alleged public corruption scheme.

Prosecutors previously alleged DiMasi and three associates rigged lucrative state contracts for software company Cognos in exchange for payments, with the former speaker allegedly pocketing $57,000.

A superseding indictment unveiled late Tuesday adds the extortion charge, alleging DiMasi accepted payments from Cognos and a second member of the scheme knowing the payments were in exchange for DiMasi taking official action to help the Burlington, Mass.-based company and the associate.

The indictment also alleges DiMasi obstructed and delayed interstate commerce.

A call to DiMasi’s lawyer was not immediately returned.