Karen Sypher Takes "SEX" Allegations Against Rick Pitino To Louisvile Metro Police, Lawyer Thomas Clay Call It Quits.

Sypher takes Pitino claims to police
By Andrew Wolfson

Karen Sypher has taken her allegations against University of Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino to the Louisville Metro police, but Pitino's lawyer says they are "false and just another part of the fraud she has tried to perpetuate against" the coach and his family.

Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Stengel said police told him that Sypher went to the department last week to request a criminal investigation of Pitino.

Sypher made her report last week to the police department's sex-offense unit. No details have been released.

Stengel said in an interview Monday that the police department expects to forward its findings to him this week.

Sypher, 49, a former model and the estranged wife of Pitino's equipment manager and assistant, was indicted in May on charges of extortion for allegedly having someone call Pitino in February and threaten to go public with allegations of "a criminal nature" against him.

An FBI agent said in a complaint that Sypher's allegations concerned Pitino's interactions with her in 2003, but the agent said her claims were not being detailed in the complaint because they were "suspect."

In a prepared statement, Pitino's lawyer, Steve Pence, said Monday in a statement that Sypher with "facing federal charges, she is now attempting to create a defense."

He said Pitino has been interviewed by Louisville police, is cooperating with their investigation and has passed an independent polygraph examination, "refuting" Sypher's allegations.

Pence said Pitino would continue to cooperate with federal and state authorities in their investigation and prosecution of Sypher.

Sypher's lawyer, Thomas Clay, withdrew as her counsel last week, citing irreconcilable differences, and has not been replaced yet, according to federal court records. ...