Woman arraigned in Pitino extortion

LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 13 (UPI) -- A Kentucky woman entered a not guilty plea Wednesday to charges of attempted extortion of University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino.

Karen Sypher, the estranged wife of Tim Sypher, a special aide to Pitino and equipment manager, appeared in federal court in Louisville, Ky., the Louisville Courier-Journal reported. A grand jury handed up an indictment Tuesday that includes a charge that she lied to the FBI about who made telephone calls to Pitino in February.

The indictment said the charges against Sypher involved "willfully causing another to transmit in interstate commerce ... threats to injure the reputation of Richard A. Pitino by threatening to publicize claims concerning alleged events occurring in 2003."

Acting U.S. Attorney Candace Hill said Tuesday that the threats involved "unsubstantiated events" and a criminal complaint last month described them as "too suspect" to be released.

Investigators say that a friend and Sypher's divorce lawyer made telephone calls demanding $10 million from Pitino.

Pitino, the only coach to lead teams from three colleges to the NCAA Final Four, has been at Louisville since 2001.