Harvard's fencing program became the center of a multimillion-dollar admissions controversy after Maryland businessman Jie "Jack" Zhao and Peter Brand, the university's former head fencing coach, were indicted in December 2020 on conspiracy and bribery charges. Prosecutors alleged that over roughly five years Zhao provided Brand with more than $1.5 million in personal benefits, including payments connected to Brand's car, his son's Penn State tuition, household bills, mortgage obligations, and renovations. One especially striking transaction involved Zhao purchasing Brand's house in 2016 for nearly $1 million—about twice its initial value—despite never living there, then later selling it for $665,000. Prosecutors argued that the payments were designed to secure Harvard recruitment advantages for Zhao's sons, Eric and Edward, and that the broader arrangement also involved fencing coach Alexandre Ryjik, whose foundation and property interests allegedly received substantial financial support. A proposed $1 million donation was reportedly intended to reach a charity controlled by Brand, although Zhao ultimately paid $100,000 to Brand's charitable foundation.
The allegations surfaced publicly in April 2019, and Harvard fired Brand that July for violating the university's conflict-of-interest policy. The case drew comparisons to Operation Varsity Blues, but it was legally and factually distinct: the Zhao brothers had years of fencing experience, strong academic records, and genuine competition results, rather than being portrayed as fabricated athletes. Eric became Harvard fencing captain through a team vote, earned second-team All-Ivy honors, and helped the Crimson win the 2018 Ivy League championship; Edward compiled a 27-24 collegiate record before the 2020 season was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic. At trial, prosecutors presented testimony that Brand's athletic designation of the brothers "made the difference" in their admissions, while the defense maintained that the money consisted of loans repaid with interest and that the brothers were legitimate students and fencers. On December 21, 2022, after only about five hours of deliberation, a jury unanimously found both Zhao and Brand not guilty. The verdict left the case as a major example of how elite-college athletics, donor relationships, and admissions influence can appear corrupt even when criminal charges ultimately fail in court.
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