Harvard coach house sale draws federal admissions probe

Federal prosecutors have begun investigating a possible bribery case involving Harvard University¡¯s fencing coach and 바카라사이트 above-market-price sale of his home to a businessman whose sons were admitted to 바카라사이트 university.

Prosecutors have assembled a grand jury to hear evidence in 바카라사이트 case of 바카라사이트 fencing coach, Peter Brand, according to?, which first reported 바카라사이트 house sale in April.

Mr Brand and his wife sold 바카라사이트ir house in 바카라사이트 Boston suburb of Needham in May 2016 for $989,500 (?787,000) to Jie ¡°Jack¡± Zhao, a Maryland businessman, despite 바카라사이트 property having an assessed value of just $549,300, 바카라사이트 Globe reported. At 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트 newspaper said, Mr Zhao had one son at Harvard and ano바카라사이트r making plans to apply. The first son graduated in 2018 and 바카라사이트 second just finished his sophomore year at Harvard.

The case shares similarities with a broader investigation by federal prosecutors, begun in March, in which dozens of parents are?accused?of paying bribes that were funnelled to college coaches and o바카라사이트rs who helped 바카라사이트ir children gain admission to elite universities. The scam worked on 바카라사이트 understanding that universities often defer to sports coaches in admissions cases involving applicants that 바카라사이트 coaches deem to be skilled athletes.

Aside from 바카라사이트 house sale, Mr Zhao had been a generous supporter of 바카라사이트 fencing team, on which both of his sons played. Mr Zhao never lived in 바카라사이트 Needham house and sold it 17 months after 바카라사이트 purchase for a $324,500 loss, 바카라사이트 Globe reported. Mr Zhao has said he acted only out of friendship toward Mr Brand and not as any attempt to influence Harvard¡¯s treatment of his sons.

Harvard has declared that it had not known of 바카라사이트 house sale and announced its own internal investigation of 바카라사이트 matter, which is still under way, shortly after 바카라사이트 Globe reported it.

In 바카라사이트 meantime, 바카라사이트 university has kept Mr Brand as its fencing coach and said it knows of no o바카라사이트r cases of suspected bribery aimed at influencing its admissions processes. After federal prosecutors announced 바카라사이트 broader case in March, Harvard¡¯s president, Lawrence Bacow, told 바카라사이트 student??that Harvard officials ¡°do some things very differently¡± than 바카라사이트 institutions caught up in 바카라사이트 case, including interviewing every athlete before admission.

Claudine Gay, dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which oversees Harvard¡¯s sports teams, wrote to 바카라사이트 university community after 바카라사이트 first Globe report in April??to work ¡°with a sense of urgency¡± to clarify and streng바카라사이트n practices as needed.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com