Rick Pitino just got a big win, this time time off the court. Karen Sypher, who had accused Pitino of raping her seven years ago, was found guilty of all six charges levied against her, including extortion, by a Kentucky jury, according to Kentucky Sports Radio.
The Sypher story was a particularly sleazy one, with a slew of embarrassing details coming out about Pitino. He and Sypher had met in 2003 at a restaurant, and ended up having sex on a table in said restaurant. Sypher became pregnant, and demanded money from Pitino. He gave her $3,000 that he claims was for medical bills, and she says was for an abortion.
By 2009, Sypher and her then-husband (who was a former Pitino aide) began blackmailing Pitino, calling him to demand cash, cars and a house from him for their continued silence. Pitino reported her to the FBI, at which time she accused him of raping her in 2003. Sypher's credibility was called into question, however, due to her inability to remember key details about the tryst and her lack of any corroborating evidence.
The trial lasted eight days, with Pitino the star witness. Sypher declined to testify; the defense actually declined to call any witnesses.
Sypher could face up to 26 years in prison after being found guilty on all charges, although the Louisville Courier-Journal reports that it's most likely she will serve a seven-year jail sentence.