Montgomery, Ala. ? A federal grand jury has indicted former Gov. Don Siegelman, former hospital executive Richard Scrushy and two others in a “widespread racketeering conspiracy” alleging bribery and extortion, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Siegelman and former Chief of Staff Paul Hamrick were charged with racketeering during Siegelman’s term from 1999 to 2003.

The indictment, in part, alleges that Scrushy, former chief of the HealthSouth medical-services company, made disguised payments totaling $500,000 to Siegelman to get appointed to a key hospital regulatory board.

Former state Transportation Director Gary Mack Roberts was charged with fraud for his alleged role in influencing the agency on Siegelman’s behalf.

The announcement of the indictment was made simultaneously in Montgomery and Washington.

Siegelman has called the long-running grand jury investigation a political witch hunt by Republican prosecutors trying to derail his Democratic campaign for a second term.