The Associated Press reports a new twist within the legal battle between Louisville men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino, 57, and previous automobile show model Karen Sypher, 50, of Louisville, Ky. Karen Sypher has been pronounced guilty on three counts of extortion, two counts of misleading the FBI and a single count of witness retaliation. The catalyst for the charges was Sypher's series of attempts to extort millions in hush cash from Pitino after a 2003 sexual encounter. Sypher had also claimed that Pitino raped her, but he denied her claim and avoided charge. Sypher could face as many as 26 years in jail, but she will likely serve less time. Source of article - Karen Sypher convicted of extortion in alleged Pitino rape by Newystype.com



Menacing phone calls and letters hounded Rick Pitino



<p>As evidence for the prosecution, Rick Pitino received numerous telephone calls and two letters. Demands for cash and gifts were made in exchange for Karen Sypher's silence. "This was nothing more than a pure shakedown of Richard Pitino," attorney Marisa Ford told jurors within the case. Attorney Marisa Ford said that "This was nothing more than a pure shakedown of Richard Pitino". Sypher's defense attorney complained that his client was being blackballed due to Pitino's stature in the community.</p>



Pitino described the sexual encounter as 'unfortunate'



In a emotionally charged six hours of testimony, Pitino described his late-night encounter with Sypher in a closed and deserted Italian restaurant. The sex was consensual and 'unfortunate,' he said. Pitino held back tears when he described what it was like to confess his betrayal to his wife and family.



Sypher did not take the stand



The jury didn't hear directly from Sypher, but they were allowed to view an unreleased television interview. The Pitino rape allegation came from that footage. She also corroborated Pitino's story that he had later paid her future husband Tim Sypher - a one-time Pitino assistant - $ 3,000. In time, Karen Wise and Tim Sypher got married. In the ensuing years, the couple bumped into Pitino numerous times at area functions. Pitino insisted that Karen Sypher had wanted the money for counseling and general medical needs, by Sypher claims she told Pitino she needed the cash for an abortion.



Alleged rape, circa 2009



Pitino spoke of more troubling telephone calls he'd received in February 2009. An unidentified male threatened him in much the same fashion he'd been threatened by Karen Sypher's previous extortion tries. Rick Pitino recounted that "He mentioned the word rape. I got very sick to my stomach". However, Pitino did not report these calls or the original event to the authorities for one more two months, as he "tried to contain the damaging information".



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Associated Press

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