Oct. 14, 2009 (United Press International) -- Federal prosecutors announced extortion charges have been added to the federal indictment against former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi.

The charges contained in a superseding indictment handed up Tuesday allege DiMasi was given a cut of the profits of Genesis Management, a real estate firm that managed state office buildings, because he supposedly was able to help Genesis obtain the contracts.

The Boston Globe said the new charges, which were added to earlier fraud charges stemming from an alleged payoff from a software company, added a new wrinkle to the prosecution of the once-powerful politician.

"It advances additional theories," DiMasi's lawyer, Thomas Kiley, said. "We will plead not guilty to them and prove our innocence in the court."

DiMasi, a Democrat, resigned as speaker and from his House seat in January. He was indicted in June on federal charges including conspiracy to defraud the federal government, mail fraud and wire fraud.