One Of Bernie Fine’s Accusers Recants Abuse Claim

One of the four men who have accused former Syracuse University men's assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine of sexual abuse is now saying he made up the story, according to several reports.

Flyod VanHooser now says he wanted to get even with Fine, because didn't hire a lawyer to defend him in a criminal case, mercurynews.com reports.

The accuser, Floyd VanHooser, wrote in a letter that he lied to police and in December interviews with The Associated Press and The Post-Standard newspaper of Syracuse. He said he wanted to get back at the coach, Bernie Fine, because Fine did not hire a lawyer to help VanHooser fight a criminal conviction.

Fine had helped raise the 56-year-old VanHooser after his parents died.

Two other men, former Syracuse ball boys in the 1980s, accused Fine late last year of abusing them as children, but the statute of limitations has expired. Fine was fired Nov. 27 after they came forward, ending his 35-plus years as an assistant at Syracuse.