SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 16071 / February 25, 1999 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Commercial Express, et.al Civil Action No. 98-M-2014 (USDC CO) On December 31, 1998, the SEC obtained judgments and substantial penalties against the perpetrators of a telemarketing Ponzi scheme that raised over $15 million from investors nationwide. Chief Judge Richard P. Matsch of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado issued Final Judgments of Permanent Injunction ("Final Judgments") against Defendants Joel A. Fein ("Fein"), Timothy M. Hazzard ("Hazzard"), Mark D. McClafferty ("McClafferty") and Grace Na ("Na"). The Final Judgments enjoin Fein, Hazzard and McClafferty from violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act") and Sections 10(b) and 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The Final Judgment as to Na enjoins her from violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. In addition, the Final Judgments order: (1) Fein to disgorge $1,074,945 plus prejudgment interest and pay a $500,000 penalty; (2) Hazzard to disgorge $1,143,220 plus prejudgment interest and pay a $500,000 penalty; (3) McClafferty to disgorge $2,644,198 plus prejudgment interest and pay a $750,000 penalty; and (4) Na to disgorge $396,909 plus prejudgment interest and pay a $100,000 penalty. Also named in the complaint as defendants were Commercial Express, LLC ("Commercial Express") and Progressive Financial, Inc. ("Progressive Financial"), both operating in Santa Monica, California, as well as six other entities and individuals. The action against these defendants is pending. Commercial Express and Progressive Financial, headed by Fein, Hazzard, McClafferty and Na, raised funds from investors since approximately September 1997 with the avowed purpose of purchasing air time on television stations to run infomercials for consumer goods. They raised at least $15 million from 500 investors nationwide through sales of media units and equity positions offering quarterly returns ranging from 8% to 26%. Investors were solicited through a "boiler room" operation at the offices of Progressive Financial and Commercial Express, as well as by independent sales offices ("ISOs") throughout the United States. The Commission alleged that the defendants defrauded investors by conducting a Ponzi scheme, with payment of the promised returns being made from funds received from the ongoing sale of media units and equity positions. The Commission also alleged that only approximately $1.4 million was spent on product development and the acquisition of television advertising time. The Commission further alleged that the defendants failed to disclose the excessive commissions, up to 60% of each invested dollar, which were paid to ISOs and salespeople; falsely stated that Creative Entertainment Group, Inc., a consultant to Commercial Express, owned Commercial Express and had taken over its operations; misleadingly stated that no distributions would be made to investors for at least six months during a" cooling off" period without disclosing that Commercial Express had no business operations to generate revenue for future distributions; and misrepresented to investors that Commercial Express had several significant contracts with third parties including, among others, QVC.