Maryland man resigns from governor's board

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man has resigned from a state advisory board, after reportedly buying a house for twice its value from Harvard University's fencing coach and whose son was later joined the team.

A spokesman for Gov. Larry Hogan says Jie Zhao resigned Thursday from the Governor's Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs.

The Boston Globe reported that Harvard's longtime fencing coach sold his Boston home for nearly double its assessed value to Zhao, who never lived there and sold it for a steep loss 17 months later.

Zhao told The Globe he purchased the home as an investment and as a favor to Brand. He denied it was done to help his son get into Harvard.

Harvard says it retained outside counsel to review the circumstances around the transaction.