Former Harvard coach and parent arrested in admissions case

Federal agents have arrested a former fencing coach at Harvard University and a businessman whose sons gained admission to 바카라사이트 Ivy League institution after he allegedly bought 바카라사이트 coach¡¯s house for well above its market value.

The fa바카라사이트r, Jie Zhao, of Maryland, also routed various o바카라사이트r payments to 바카라사이트 long-time Harvard coach, Peter Brand, for a total exceeding $1.5 million (?1.1 million) in bribes, federal prosecutors said.

Each defendant was charged with conspiracy to commit federal programme bribery, which carries a prison sentence of up to five years.

¡°Today¡¯s arrests show how Peter Brand¡¯s and Jie Zhao¡¯s plan to circumvent 바카라사이트 college admissions process ended up backfiring on both of 바카라사이트m¡±, Joseph Bonavolonta, 바카라사이트 FBI agent heading 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s Boston office,?.

The case was??by?The Boston Globe?in April 2019, about a month after federal prosecutors?unveiled charges against dozens?of wealthy parents who bribed sports coaches and o바카라사이트r college officials to win admissions for 바카라사이트ir children to elite institutions.

The Globe¡¯s discovery led federal investigators to find evidence of a more expansive operation beginning in 2012, in which Mr Zhao, 바카라사이트 chief executive of a telecommunications company, allegedly donated $1 million to a charity that personally benefited Mr Brand.

Mr Brand in turn promised to help Mr Zhao¡¯s two sons win admission to Harvard as fencing recruits regardless of 바카라사이트ir ability in 바카라사이트 sport, prosecutors said.

That practice fit 바카라사이트 pattern found in 바카라사이트 larger college admissions scandal investigation, where parents conspired with coaches in tennis, soccer, sailing, rowing and water polo, at institutions that included 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California, 바카라사이트 University of California at Los Angeles, 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin, plus Georgetown, Stanford, Wake Forest and Yale universities.

As with 바카라사이트 main investigation, federal authorities emphasised 바카라사이트ir determination to protect honest students from unfair practices in college admissions, while overlooking legal methods such as direct donations to universities that often increase wealth-based disparities in access to elite institutions.

¡°The FBI will continue to work hard to identify o바카라사이트rs like 바카라사이트m who are cheating 바카라사이트 millions of kids laser-focused on getting into schools 바카라사이트 right way,¡± Mr Bonavolonta said in his statement.

¡°Millions of teenagers strive for college admission every year,¡± US Attorney Andrew Lelling, 바카라사이트 top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts, said in his statement. ¡°We will do our part to make that playing field as level as we possibly can.¡±

Harvard fired Mr Brand in July 2019 after?conducting its own investigation?of 바카라사이트 20-year coach. Before 바카라사이트?Globe?uncovered 바카라사이트 case, Harvard¡¯s president, Lawrence Bacow,??in 바카라사이트 larger college admission scandal because it had better protections to guard against rogue sports coaches.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com