Harvard Fencing Coach Dismissed After Home Sale Raised Conflict Of Interest Concerns
Bob Scalise, Harvard’s athletics director, announced Brand’s dismissal on Tuesday afternoon and said it came after an independent investigation found him to have violated the conflict of interest policy. Brand allegedly sold his home to Jie Zhao for well above the market value. Zhao’s son was admitted to Harvard shortly after the sale and joined the fencing team, as did his brother who graduated in 2018. Allegations against Brand came to light after news of the FBI investigation dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues” broke....