Head of US realtors association resigns after receiving blackmail threat

Tracy Kasper, head of 1.5m-strong group, says she was blackmailed with threat to reveal past personal, non-financial matter'

A threat to blackmail the president of the US's National Association of Realtors has forced her to resign from the organization which bills itself as the largest professional trade group in the country, she announced on Monday.

Tracy Kasper's abrupt resignation from the presidency of a realtors association that counts on 1.5 million members comes during a particularly turbulent time in the organization's history - her predecessor stepped down months earlier when confronted with sexual harassment claims.