Karen Sypher Indicted in Pitino Extortion Attempt
Posted by frankpos on May 13, 2009
Former model, saleswoman, and yes, cake decorator, Karen Sypher was indicted yesterday.
The indictment came a day after Lester Goetzinger — the man who made the initial calls for her demanding money from Pitino– testified before the grand jury. Goetzinger has not been indicted, most likely because he has cooperated fully from the beginning, with the probable understanding he would not be charged as long as he did so.
Another person of interest not charged yesterday was Dana Kolter, Sypher’s ju jitsu instructor / divorce attorney, who had upped the ante–considerably– on Pitino by demanding a cool $10 mil. That was after hitting Pitino up to pay off Sypher’s house, buy her two cars, and pay her $3000 per month in cash– and threatening to disclose allegations of a “criminal nature” about “interactions” with Sypher in 2003 in her divorce proceedings with Tim Sypher– the U of L equipment manager and long-time friend of Pitino’s.
Kolter now has his own attorney. and all has been very quiet on that front.
But the criminal complaint issued against Sypher indicated she had been “aided and abetted by others.” So….I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop–particularly, now that rumors of a possible affair between Kolter and Sypher have surfaced on the internet message boards recently. It has long been surmised by both people who know Sypher and the FBI that she was not alone in this risky gambit, and may not have been its mastermind.
If convicted, Sypher faces a max of 2 yrs on the extortion charge, 5 yrs for lying to the FBI (never, ever do that!!!), and faces fines of $250,000 on each count.
Sypher’s criminal attorney, Tom Clay–a respected criminal attorney here in Louisville–has been uncharactersitically mute during all this. He indicated his client will plead “not guilty.” He has also stated that if his client’s allegations could be proven true, then they could be possibly used to defend her, at least against some charges.
But the FBI has refused to detail the allegations because they found them to be “suspect” and “unsubstantiated.” Also, apparently according to Clay, the FBI believes her claims are also irrelevant.
Stay tuned……….
Roz said
We are interested in this guilty pleasure up to, and beyond, the point in which we feel obligated to douse our fouled paws with a dab or two of Purell. A rhetorical question: “Does anybody come out of this looking good?” No, of course not.
An interesting turn of events at the Preakness, where we have a distaff member of the equine breed suddenly reunited with her old jock (I do mean “old”)who had the foolish pleasure of commandeering the 50-1 shot Derby winner. Now, THIS stuff is interesting, and with no need for hand cleaner.
Quite a thread. Did the Cajun jock make the right decision? Will he have the first two legs of the Triple Crown when either of his mounts will only have won one race? Or will Calvin Borel be kicking himself for giving up the ride on Mine That Bird, the now dismissed, winner of the Kentucky Derby? At last some intrigue. We can all breath now.
Rachel Alexandra has been dubbed the Uber Horse of the moment, and we know that means she will never lose (“Big Brown” anyone?). Yet it will be difficult not to think about Borel’s Derby mount without a tug on the heart strings, and with the hope that after unlikely winning the second jewel, he will go totally Mister Ed and rage toward Calvin “You always wanted respect…I helped you attain it…but you gave me none…none at all.”
Anyway for one May afternoon the decrepit and shoddy grandstand of the old Pimlico track will be filled once again. Racing in Maryland is in dire straits as it is thoughout much of the country. The past two generations have not been properly indoctrinated, not properly introduced, to the sport of kings.
Why would they be interested in anything that has to do with history and romance, when their hand is firmly upon a joy stick of a multi colored video game that features many things that simply “blow up?”
As far as the race coverage is concerned has anybody but me missed Jim McKay?
athlete said
Great post. Keep it up. Im a dedicated athlete myself and i love your blog.