UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 15922 / October 2, 1998. SEC OBTAINS EMERGENCY RELIEF OVER FT. LAUDERDALE FOREIGN CURRENCY TRADING COMPANY THAT IT ALLEGES DEFRAUDED APPROXIMATELY $18 MILLION FROM OVER 1000 INVESTORS Securities and Exchange Commission v. International Capital Management, Inc., et al., Civil Action No.98-7062-CIV- DIMITROULEAS (S. D. Florida (Complaint filed Sept. 30, 1998)) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that on September 30, 1998 it filed a complaint and obtained emergency relief in an offering fraud case involving a Ft. Lauderdale company, International Capital Management, Inc. (ICM) that the SEC alleges solicited investors with claims that they would profit from its foreign currency exchange program. Among other things, at the SEC's request, in order to protect remaining investor funds, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida ordered a freeze of ICM's assets and temporarily froze those of a company to which the SEC claims ICM had transferred assets. The federal court also appointed a receiver over ICM. ICM consented to the SEC's proposed relief without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations. According to the SEC's complaint, defendant ICM solicited investors from October 1997 to early September 1998 to invest in its securities. The SEC alleges ICM used high pressure "boiler- room" telemarketing sales tactics to raise approximately $18 million from more than 1000 investors. According to the SEC, ICM told investors that it had consistently achieved extraordinary profits while promising that investors' principal would be safe. ICM told investors and potential investors that they could obtain returns of 3%-6% per month, and sent investors monthly account statements that showed consistent profits. ICM also told investors that 80% of investor funds would be held in a bank account and the remaining 20%, which would be used in ICM's foreign currency trading program, would be protected from significant losses by ICM's purported use of a "stop-loss" order on every trade. The SEC's complaint alleges that these representations were false -- (a) the foreign currency trading generated a net loss for ICM investors, (b) ICM did not keep 80% of investor funds in bank accounts, and (c) ICM did not use "stop-loss" orders on all trades. The SEC's claim also named WorldCorp Traders & Co., Inc. (WorldCorp) as a relief defendant, alleging that ICM had transferred at least $10 million of investor funds to WorldCorp., which used at least some of those funds to trade in foreign currencies. The SEC sought and obtained a freeze on all of ICM's assets and on those assets of WorldCorp that were provided by ICM. In addition, ICM consented to a permanent injunction against future violations of the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and consented to the appointment of a receiver. The court appointed Dan Gelber, Esq., of the law firm of Holland & Knight as receiver. Among other things, the Court's order authorizes Mr. Gelber to institute legal proceedings for the benefit of ICM investors. Investors who wish to contact Mr. Gelber or his assistants may call Holland & Knight at (305) 374-8500.