WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Sypher pleads not guilty; says truth will come out

Sypher pleads not guilty; says truth will come out

By Scott Harvey - bio | email
Posted by Charles Gazaway - email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - The woman at the center of an alleged extortion plot aimed at U of L basketball coach Rich Pitino is speaking out. Karen Sypher was back in court Wednesday where she pleaded not guilty to federal charges.

Although she wouldn't say much, or wasn't really allowed to, Sypher did tell us she is ready for the case to go to trial where she says the truth will come out.

Family and friends huddled outside the Gene Snyder Federal Courthouse in Louisville, showing their support for Sypher.

"It makes me so much stronger than I am already," Sypher said.

Inside the courthouse, she pleaded not guilty to federal charges that she tried to extort Pitino.

"I feel like there's been just a very, very dark cloud over my family that follows us that is so unjust," said Sypher, standing in a circle of reporters.

The criminal complaint, filed with the FBI, claims Sypher tried to extort Pitino for college tuition for her children, several cars, and even paying off her house. Sypher told the group of reporters repeatedly, there are two sides to the story.

"Tell my story. To tell the truth," Sypher said.

When a reporter yelled out to ask Sypher if she was ready to go to trial, she replied, "Absolutely." But when asked for her side, Sypher's attorney Thomas Clay piped in. "Her side of the story is going to be told at the appropriate time in open court."

"I feel for my mom and I don't know what else to say," said Sypher's son, Kaleb Wise. "It's just been tough for my mom."

Wise said he wants revenge for the torment his mom has been put through.

"I just want Mr. Pitino, something to happen to him. Not jail or anything," said Wise. "I just want something to happen to him. He can't just get away with something like this."

What information Sypher may have been using to allegedly extort Pitino has not been released and likely won't be until the case goes to trial on June 29.

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