SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

   Litigation Release No. 16327 / October 5, 1999

   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION v. MARLON D. TROPEANO, DAVID
   BARROSO, JR., GOLF EMPORIUM CORPORATION, ISABEL MUNOZ, AND V.M.C.
   HOLDINGS INC., 99 Civ. 10260 (JSR) (S.D.N.Y.)

   The Commission announced that today it filed a Complaint in the United
   States District Court for the Southern District of New York charging
   two individuals, and one individual and two corporations as relief
   defendants, in connection with a fraudulent scheme through which
   thousands of dollars in securities were transferred and sold without
   authorization, and the proceeds diverted.

   Named in the Complaint filed today are

   Marlon D. Tropeano, a 30 year-old resident of Brooklyn, New York; and

   David Barroso, Jr., a 34 year-old resident of Forest Hills, New York.

   The Complaint alleges that on three occasions in March 1998, Marlon D.
   Tropeano - assisted on one occasion by David Barroso, Jr. - used
   forged documents to cause the unauthorized transfer of customer
   accounts from Briarwood Investment Counsel, Inc. ("Briarwood"), a
   registered broker dealer at which Marlon D. Tropeano was a registered
   representative, to other broker dealers. Marlon D. Tropeano then
   caused securities to be sold in those accounts without authorization,
   and diverted over $115,000 of the proceeds of the sales to relief
   defendants. The complaint further alleges that from October 1997 to
   March 1998, Marlon D. Tropeano used forged documents to divert $32,000
   from another Briarwood customer account, $29,000 of which went to
   relief defendants.

   As a result of the foregoing, the Commission alleges that Marlon D.
   Tropeano and David Barroso, Jr. committed securities fraud in
   violation of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15
   U.S.C. § 78j(b) and Rule 10b-5, 17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5. The Commission
   seeks a Final Judgment (i) enjoining Marlon D. Tropeano and David
   Barroso, Jr. from future violations of the above-cited provisions;
   (ii) requiring disgorgement from Marlon D. Tropeano, David Barroso,
   Jr., Golf Emporium Corporation, Isabel Munoz, and V.M.C. Holdings Inc.
   of all of ill-gotten gains as a result of Marlon D. Tropeano's and
   David Barroso Jr.'s fraudulent scheme, plus pre-judgment interest; and
   (iii) assessing civil penalties against Marlon D. Tropeano and David
   Barroso Jr.

   The litigation is pending as to all defendants.