Boston, June 16, (PRINTWORDS NEWS) Salvatore DiMasi, the former Speaker of House of Representatives (Massachusetts) was convicted on Wednesday of extortion, conspiracy and theft of his services. The jury convicted the former Speaker in a scheme to conduct two state contracts of $17.5 million to a software firm. The jury stated that Salvatore DiMasi helped the software company to win this contract for his own benefit and as result; he has misused his respected position.
The eyewitnesses reported that Salvatore DiMasi looked visibly distraught, after the verdict was read, as he hugged his weeping wife and stepdaughter. Along with DiMasi, lobbyist Richard McDonough was convicted of the same crime. Both Richard McDonough and Salvatore DiMasi convicted 0on one count of conspiracy, three counts of honest services wire fraud, three counts of honest services mail fraud and one count of extortion. Salvatore DiMasi, who resigned in 2009, was the third consecutive speaker to have left the office under an ethics ground. The Massachusetts jury also acquitted Richard Vitale, who was an associate and friend of the former Speaker. Joseph Lally, another software salesman was also pleaded guilty in this case.
After the verdict, Speaker Salvatore DiMasi said that he was shocked to hear jury’s words. He tried to maintain his innocence, when he said that he has never made any decision in life until he felt that it was for the “best interests of the citizens of the Commonwealth, my constituents”. He also added, “I don’t think that there was a full story told about my record and what I accomplished as a speaker or legislator. I think that was all lost in this case”. The former Speaker’s attorney said that he would appeal again. Mark Wolf, the U.S. District Court Judge has scheduled sentencing for DiMasi and McDonough for August 18 and till then, they can remain free. However, they are ordered not to leave New England. Salvatore DiMasi, 65 and Richard McDonough, 66 will face up to 20 years of prison on each of their six counts of wire and mail fraud along with conspiracy charge for 5 years. Moreover, Salvatore DiMasi will face additional 20 years in prison for extortion.
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