On the court, the Binghamton University men’s basketball players were America East All-Stars. They topped the stats, wowed crowds and made BU history.

Behind the scenes, it was a whole different story. According to a report compiled for the SUNY board of trustees by a team of lawyers led by Judge Judith Kaye, players were cited as being charged with everything from drug possession to credit card fraud. These, along with academic issues, and the final breaking point — the arrest of one player charged with possession of crack cocaine — culminated in the dismissals of five players in September.

DEBIT CARD FRAUD

According to the report, on Sept. 14, a BU student reported a stolen debit card that had been used illegally.

That morning she received a message from junior men’s basketball player Chretien Lukusa, who informed the student to check with her bank because he knew of a person that may have used the card. The student also received an anonymous text message that said, “We have your card and will give you the money we charged later today or tomorrow, give us the exact amount.”

The next day, law enforcement, along with Lukusa, was able to identify junior transfer Paul Crosby and seniors Derrick “D.J.” Rivera and Malik Alvin “putting merchandise into a shopping cart” from footage obtained from the stores in which the card was used. Lukusa came to the police station of his own accord to identify the perpetrators in the video, according to the report.

Rivera also accompanied Lukusa to the station that day and allegedly told police that he was there because “he thought that it might relate to the debit card.” Rivera identified another junior transfer, Corey Chandler, in the videos as well.

Chandler, Alvin and Crosby also voluntarily talked with police, admitting that they helped put the merchandise in the cart. However, they denied having any knowledge that the debit card was stolen. All the players signed sworn statements, which officers believed were false. Law enforcement informed assistant coach Marc Hsu about the situation, who stated that they would “discuss the issue with the players.”

On Sept. 18, Rivera reportedly came with an attorney to the police station and admitted to finding the debit card and using it to buy merchandise with the other players. According to Rivera, the other players involved had no idea that he was paying with a stolen debit card. Among the things that were bought was a television, which Rivera returned, and clothing, which he threw away, the report states.

According to police reports, officers told Rivera they didn’t believe his story and that they believed his plan was to take the fall for the incident altogether in order to save his fellow teammates. President Lois DeFleur was notified by Binghamton’s New York State University Police about the incident.

DAVID FINE

On Sept. 7, BU police responded to a report of a marijuana odor coming from the dormitory of senior David Fine. When law enforcement arrived at the residence they reportedly smelled the strong odor coming from Fine’s dorm. When Fine answered the door, police said he had “red, glassy eyes.”

When officers questioned him, Fine reportedly opened a drawer and handed them an envelope containing approximately 2 grams of marijuana. Fine was not arrested, but was referred to Judicial Affairs. Again, police notified President Lois DeFleur of the incident, according to the report.

Fine, who spoke with Pipe Dream, denies being under the influence of any controlled substance, and says he passed the drug test he took.

“They tried to make it sound like I was high when they came in my room but I passed the drug test a week after they came,” he said. “I have that as proof.”

Fine also said that the report could have been more truthful and that the administration could have done a better job handling the fiasco.

“I don’t want to speak badly about anybody, but I don’t think they necessarily handled it in the right way,” he said. “If you look at why we got in trouble I don’t think it was fair to take away our season. Especially for me, I’m a senior. They took away my last season of basketball.”

Fine stated how the dismissal came as a shock to him because the administration assured him that he still had a spot on the basketball team after the incident occurred. Fine, according to both him and the report, was not involved with any other incident.

In fact, Fine said it was interim athletic director Jim Norris who pulled him aside.

“His exact words were, ‘Don’t lose any sleep over it. Nothing is going to happen.’”

When asked if he was going to take any sort of action, Fine replied:

“We’re definitely upset about it, but there is nothing we can really do. I can’t make a big scene out of it. What happened, happened. I just have to deal with the consequences.”

TIKI MAYBEN

On Sept. 13, 2009, University police stopped a speeding car, driven by Emanuel “Tiki” Mayben. Police noted a marijuana cigarette in plain sight on the front seat of the car. Mayben was then asked to empty his pockets, and as he exited the car, police found a plastic baggie containing marijuana inside the driver’s door.

Mayben denied the vehicle was his and stated that its owner was David Fine. Upon searching Mayben, police found another small plastic bag with marijuana on him. Mayben was given a speeding ticket and was arraigned for marijuana possession.

THE LAST STRAW

On Sept. 23, Mayben was arrested in his hometown of Troy for selling cocaine. The arrest, according to former athletic director Joel Thirer, was “the tipping point.”

Following the arrest, the administration decided that the behavior of the players from the team was “unacceptable.” It was decided that all of the players allegedly involved in recent misconduct be dismissed.

The players were not given any reason for the dismissals.