Harvard has opened an investigation into head fencing coach Peter Brand and the May 2016 sale of his house to the father of a prospective student. The Boston Globe reported earlier Thursday that Brand's house in suburban Needham, Mass., was sold to Maryland businessman Jie Zhao for $989,500 -- far more than its assessed value of $549,300. However, Zhao denied that the purchase was meant to smooth the way for his youngest son to attend Harvard. One week after Zhao bought the house, The Globe reported, Brand and his wife bought a condominium in Cambridge for $1.3 million with a $517,000 mortgage. The Israel-born Brand has led Harvard's men's and women's fencing programs since 1999 and guided the Crimson to the NCAA co-ed team title in 2006.

Source: Fox News April 04, 2019 23:13 UTC