http://www.courier-journal.com/article/2.../904190423

FBI investigating Pitino's extortion claim
Louisville 's Ramsey, Jurich support coach

University of Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino says that he is the target of an extortion attempt and that he has asked the FBI to investigate.
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The coach released a statement through the university last night after being contacted by The Courier-Journal yesterday afternoon.

Pitino gave no specifics on the actions he claims are being taken against him, but said in the statement, "I intend to vigorously defend my reputation and the character of my family against any criminal scheme to extort money."

Louisville attorney Thomas Clay later called the newspaper and said he represents the woman who is under FBI investigation. He declined to provide details of her claims or to identify her, but when told that WDRB 41 had named her as Karen Sypher, the wife of U of L basketball equipment manager Tim Sypher, he said he did not "take issue" with that.

"There is a federal investigation going on, and there may be criminal charges placed against her as a result of what coach Pitino has brought to the attention of the FBI," Clay said. ". . . There are no counter allegations, and as far as I am concerned this criminal investigation is going to proceed to a logical conclusion and I hope that we can put this matter behind us as quickly as possible."

Clay said his client has been interviewed by the FBI, but declined to offer more specifics.

FBI spokesman David Beyer confirmed that Pitino told the agency last month that he "was the victim of an apparent extortion and we have an ongoing investigation into the matter."

Beyer said he could not provide further details.

Pitino's remarks were accompanied by statements of support from U of L President Jim Ramsey and athletic director Tom Jurich.

"My family and I were recently threatened as part of a criminal scheme to extort money," Pitino said in the release distributed by the U of L sports information department. "Upon receiving these threats, we reported this extortion attempt to the FBI.

"While I did not want to make this matter public, I recently learned that the individual behind this extortion attempt has already gone to the media with false, defamatory and outrageous allegations in an attempt to pressure me to cave in to this scheme."

Pitino did not name the individual he is accusing of extortion, which is a federal offense and is defined as an attempt by an individual or group to obtain money or other property or services through coercion.

Both Ramsey and Jurich said in separate statements that they support Pitino and his going to the FBI.

"The University of Louisville supports Coach Pitino and his family," Ramsey said. "We stand by his decision to report this matter to the authorities and will now leave this criminal investigation in the hands of the FBI."

The university release said Pitino, Ramsey and Jurich would have no further comment. None of the three responded to phone messages seeking comment last night.

Pitino's statement referred questions to his attorney, Steve Pence, the former lieutenant governor of Kentucky. Pence did not return a phone message to his office last night.

Courier-Journal reporter R.G. Dunlop contributed to this story.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4080340

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville coach Rick Pitino says he is the victim of an extortion attempt and has forwarded the information to the FBI.

Pitino reported the threats to authorities last month, and the FBI is investigating, the university said in a statement released Saturday. The statement did not specify the nature of the threats.

It appears the investigation could involve the estranged wife of one of Pitino's staff members, equipment manager Tim Sypher.

Thomas Clay, an attorney for Karen Sypher, says he was contacted by the FBI regarding extortion allegations leveled by Pitino last week but had no further comment to The Associated Press.

"I recently learned that the individual behind this extortion attempt has already gone to the media with false, defamatory and outrageous allegations in an attempt to pressure me to cave in to this scheme," Pitino said.

Pitino did not want to go public with the news but decided Saturday afternoon to issue a statement, after news organizations began inquiring about the issue. Karen Sypher recently did a lengthy interview with the Louisville Fox affiliate, WDRB-41, but the station reported Saturday night that it "has decided not to relate details of her claims at this time." The Louisville source said WDRB determined that Sypher's story was not credible, but that could not be confirmed with WDRB Sunday morning as the reason why the interview was not aired.

A Louisville source told ESPN.com's Pat Forde that Pitino began receiving threatening phone calls in late February from Sypher and possibly other accomplices, and the calls continued throughout the Big East and NCAA tournaments. In late March, Pitino called the FBI and apprised it of the attempt to extort him.

Tim Sypher issued a statement through the school Sunday morning.

"I am devastated by the bizarre allegations that my estranged wife is making against both Coach Pitino and myself," the release said. "At this point, my primary concern is for my young daughter and four stepsons, both to the impact of their mother's actions on them, as well as the impact on Coach's family and the university.

"I love my children, and want to protect them," the statement said. "At the same time, I intend to defend the allegations vigorously and will have no additional comment at this time."

The Syphers are in the process of getting divorced. A Jefferson County Family Court docket listing showed that the two were scheduled to appear for a dissolution hearing last Monday, April 13.

The revelation Saturday night prompted speculation about the timing of Richard Pitino's decision to leave Louisville for an assistant coaching job at Florida. That was reported Friday afternoon, and ESPN.com sources at the time said Rick Pitino's son was leaving to enhance his resume as a potential head coach outside his father's shadow.

Richard Pitino said Sunday via text message to ESPN.com that the extortion issue was completely unrelated to his changing jobs.

"Had nothing to do with me leaving," Richard Pitino said. "Me and Billy [Donovan] talked two weeks ago about that [job change]."

Richard Pitino otherwise declined comment. Rick Pitino declined comment Sunday afternoon to ESPN.com through Louisville media relations director Kenny Klein. Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich did not respond immediately to messages left by ESPN.com seeking comment.

A call to Pitino's attorney, Steve Pence, by The Associated Press on Saturday evening was not immediately returned.

Pitino just finished up his eighth season with the Cardinals. Louisville won the Big East regular season and tournament titles before losing to Michigan State in the NCAA tournament regional final.

"I want to make it clear that I intend to vigorously defend my reputation and the character of my family against any criminal scheme to extort money," he said. "I am hopeful the media and public will recognize the slanderous nature of this direct and malicious attack."

Strange. I wonder what she allegedly has that is a threat to the Pitinos.

Paging John Grisham...sounds like the basis for a novel:

http://news.bostonherald.com/track/insid...position=1

(04-22-2009 07:07 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  Strange. I wonder what she allegedly has that is a threat to the Pitinos.

This chick is Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Rumors are that RP is a skirt chaser and you get the idea. Again it is just a rumor so take it for what its worth.

(04-23-2009 08:29 AM)dbacard Wrote:  

(04-22-2009 07:07 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  Strange. I wonder what she allegedly has that is a threat to the Pitinos.

This chick is Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Rumors are that RP is a skirt chaser and you get the idea. Again it is just a rumor so take it for what its worth.

Hmmm, that's interesting. Obviously it's just a rumor, but it would explain why he called the FBI but is keeping the reason quiet. That is crazy.

[/quote]

Hmmm, that's interesting. Obviously it's just a rumor, but it would explain why he called the FBI but is keeping the reason quiet. That is crazy.
[/quote]

A similar case happened with Papa John's founder John Schnatter. A female sales rep claimed he traded sex for favors (preference over other vendors) with her. Schnatter said they were false. I cant remember if the case went to court but the same lawyer who successfully represented Schnatter is going to represent Pitino.

(04-24-2009 07:27 AM)dbacard Wrote:  A similar case happened with Papa John's founder John Schnatter. A female sales rep claimed he traded sex for favors (preference over other vendors) with her. Schnatter said they were false. I cant remember if the case went to court but the same lawyer who successfully represented Schnatter is going to represent Pitino.

Hey honey let me put my sausage into your .....

err nevermind this is a PG rated board.

Woman charged with trying to extort Pitino
By BRETT BARROUQUERE, Associated Press Writer
10 hours, 10 minutes ago

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)—College tuition. Two cars. A fully paid off house. Ten million dollars.

That’s what the FBI says the estranged wife of an equipment manager tried to extort from Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino.

The alleged demands were made public Friday in a criminal complaint released shortly after Karen Cunagin Sypher surrendered to federal authorities and made an initial appearance in federal court. Along with the extortion allegations, Sypher is accused of lying to the FBI.

She didn’t enter a plea at Friday’s court appearance, but was released on her own recognizance with a warning from a federal magistrate not to speak ill of Pitino.

Sypher surrendered to federal authorities just over a week after the case exploded into the public when Pitino released a statement saying someone had tried to extort him.

Since that April 18 statement, Pitino has been silent. His attorney, Steve Pence, said Friday he has directed the coach not to comment further on the case.

“While Coach Pitino takes no comfort in this prosecution and remains astonished by these events, it marks a turning point that allows him to focus with a clear mind once again on his family and his team,” Pence said in a statement.

According to the criminal complaint, Sypher’s husband, Tim Sypher, brought Pitino a written list of demands including tuition, two cars of her choice, paying off her house and $3,000 per month. The demands later escalated to $10 million, the complaint said.

Authorities did not specify what sort of information Sypher may have been trying to use to extort the successful coach and said only that Pitino believed it was related to an unspecified 2003 encounter with her. Pitino took over Louisville’s basketball program in 2001.

The 56-year-old coach said last week that he had reported the extortion allegations to the FBI last month. Since then, Karen Sypher has given some media interviews, and one station said it chose not to air her allegations because they could not be confirmed.

Tim Sypher, a longtime Pitino aide, voiced his support for his boss in a statement last week. Divorce papers for the couple have been filed in recent weeks.

Outside the courthouse, Karen Sypher’s attorney, Thomas Clay, declined to predict what might happen.

“The criminal complaint clearly reflects other people were involved in this,” Clay said. “Whether they will be charged, I don’t know.”

Clay declined to comment on Sypher’s allegation against Pitino. In court, she answered only “yes, sir” to questions from U.S. Magistrate Judge Dave Whalin, and she would not comment later.

According to the criminal complaint written by FBI Special Agent Steven Wight, Pitino received two voicemail messages from a man who did not identify himself on Feb. 26 and a third call on Feb. 28.

Pitino told Wight the first two concerned personal allegations that were “criminal in nature” and could harm the coach’s reputation, while the third was a threat to make the allegations public in two weeks.

Wight notes in the complaint that the truth about the allegations against Pitino is “suspect.” The allegations were left out of the criminal complaint.

Pitino told Wight he met with the Syphers after the first two calls and asked what she wanted and Karen Sypher talked about a house, cars and cash. Pitino told Wight that he played the voicemail for her and she denied knowing about the calls.

Kenyon Meyer, Tim Sypher’s attorney, said his client is not being targeted in the criminal investigation and is cooperating.

“This whole series of events has just been devastating,” Meyer said.

Wight said Karen Sypher hired an attorney March 22 and the attorney mailed Pitino a letter repeating the allegations made in the voicemail, but in greater detail.

In the letter, Sypher also accused Pitino of orchestrating the threatening calls, Wight said. The attorney filed a divorce petition on her behalf and made demands of Pitino, including one for $10 million, Wight said. An affidavit containing the allegations against Pitino and attached to the petition has been sealed.

Pitino signed a three-year contract extension with the Cardinals in May 2007 that could keep him at the school through 2013. The deal pays him an annual salary of $2.5 million a year if he stays until the end of the contract. He’ll receive loyalty bonuses of $3.6 million in 2010 and 2013 if he remains with the school.

Kuhn said a federal grand jury is scheduled to meet May 11 and 12 and could hear the case.

This article appeared on the Yahoo Sports website on Saturday, April 25, 2009.