<prompt> Translate the following text to EnglishWakili wa chuo hicho walidai kuwa ikiwa washiriki wa jumuiya hiyo wangelijua kuwa walikuwa wakishughulika na taasisi yenye thamani ya dola bilioni 9, wangetaka malipo ya juu sana.  <response>: At first, Harvard officials excused the ploy by saying that if community members had known they were dealing with an institution worth 9 billion, they would have demanded exorbitant premiums. 