#Ex-Harvard fencing coach arrested in $1.5M bribery admissions scheme

Harvard’s former fencing coach was busted Monday for allegedly accepting more than $1.5 million in bribes from a telecom mogul to get the businessman’s two sons into the prestigious university.

Cash-strapped then-coach Peter Brand sold his home to cohort and Maryland businessman Jie “Jack’’ Zhao for about $450,000 more than it was worth as part of the scheme, the feds said in new court papers.

“[Zhao’s] boys don’t have to be great fencers. All I need is a good incentive to recruit them. You can tell him that,’’ Brand allegedly told a cooperating witness in May 2012 in the million-dollar admissions plot.

While the case is not part of the feds’ famous “Operation Varsity Blues” — in which a slew of wealthy parents, including actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, have been nailed for allegedly bribing their kids into top colleges — it involves the same principle.

The former longtime Ivy League fencing coach devised the scheme with Zhao after several years of Brand’s wife berating her hubby for overspending, according to court documents.

“Hi, Peter, I still do not think you understand that our bank of America account does not have overdraft protection and we can barely pay the bills…yesterday you withdrew a total of $122.57. We did not have the money,’’ Brand’s wife allegedly wrote him in 2009.

“I spent my inheritance money for tuition for [one of the couple’s kids],” she said. “Where are we getting money for summer school, for next year’s tuition, for the electric bill?

“I am sorry but you cannot use your ATM card whatsoever—-if it happens again we will need to cut your card. I cut up my ATM card many months ago.’’

Two years later, Brand’s wife was still allegedly seething over his spending habits.

“Peter, You used the debit card again yesterday at Sudbury Farms. STOP USING THE DEBIT CARD. NO WITHDRAWALS AND NO PURCHASES,’’ she wrote in an e-mail — repeating the last two sentences in all caps another six times, according to court papers.

About a year later, in 2012, Brand allegedly e-mailed the government informant saying he would get Zhao’s sons into Harvard by way of the fencing team for that “good incentive.”

Two months later, as Zhao’s oldest boy was getting ready to apply to colleges, the federal witness asked Brand whether there was ‘’space for [the son of] … your favorite Chinese supporter?’’ court papers said.

Brand allegedly replied, “Of course as long as Z[h]ao cones [sic] through with the financial support;). “He is my no 1 recruit as long as my future us [is] secured.’’

Brand, 67, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Zhao, 61, of Potomac are both charged with conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery. The charge carries up to five years behind bars.

The Boston Globe broke the story of Brand’s highly suspicious house sale to Zhao — after the local town assessor flagged it.

“In his notes, the assessor wrote; ‘SOLD TO BUYER FROM VIRGINIA FOR $990 K??? PLACE IS VINTAGE 1960’S IN BAD SHAPE??? … MAKES NO SENSE,’ ” according to court papers.

Zhao also is accused of funneling money to Brand through a charity the fencing coach and his wife set up.

One of the tech businessman’s sons was admitted to Harvard as a fencing recruit in December 2013, while the other followed in 2017.

Both men are set to appear separately in federal court Monday.