Alleged victim's father says he's a liar

Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- Bernie Fine’s career at Syracuse University may be over, but questions surrounding the former assistant basketball coach are far from it.

The national spotlight is on Central New York as we wait to hear from investigating agencies, Bernie's wife and from head coach Jim Boeheim.

Meanwhile, a third alleged victim, Zach Tomaselli, has come forward.

NewsChannel 9 spoke to the 23-year-old Monday about his alleged trip to Pittsburgh where he says Fine molested him.

Tomaselli says he met Bernie Fine in 2001 at an autograph session on campus. That's where he says his dad gave Fine his phone number. The then assistant coach followed up, inviting Zach to an away game in Pittsburgh.

"My parents brought me up to their room and explained to me that Bernie had given me this opportunity and, you know, that I was to behave myself and they went over the itinerary with me," Zach said.

Zach says he took a bus with the team's support staff to Pittsburgh. A team dinner at the hotel was the first thing on the agenda. Zach says he sat across from Fine, but says he paid little attention to him. He said it was afterwards, in the hotel room the two shared, when the abuse took place.

"My dad had been molesting me for four months by that point, so everything that Fine did seemed normal to me, except for the pornography part. Pornography was a big sin to my father and my church," Zach continued.

That's why Zach says he never told anyone.

Zach's dad Fred says Zach is a liar and that he never molested his son. He also says Zach certainly never went to Pittsburgh.

"I know 100 percent that Bernie Fine is not guilty of what Zach is accusing him of, as far as Zach's concerned, because Zach was never alone with Bernie and never met him," Fred Tomaselli told NewsChannel 9.

Zach says his dad is just trying to protect himself.

"He is using this to stand up on a stool and tell the world, you know, that I'm a liar, so that you know, so many people will think that he didn't abuse me and that he's innocent of that," Zach said.

Zach's story is just another complicated layer to this already convoluted story. We should also mention that Zach is awaiting trial on sex abuse charges of his own involving a 14-year-old boy in Maine. As for his alleged trip to Pittsburgh, he says he never met head coach Jim Boeheim at any point during his two days away.

Zach hasn't heard from police yet in Pittsburgh. A spokesperson there says they're waiting on information from Syracuse Police before initiating an investigation.