SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.

LITIGATION RELEASE NO. 17567 / June 17, 2002

   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION v. P. JOSEPH VERTUCCI, BRUCE E.
   STRAUGHN, ROBERT V. PETRY, ROLAND R. BAUGHMAN, RICHARD M. JOHNSON,
   EDWARD MEYER, JR., and HAZLET INVESTORS, INC. (Defendants), and JOANNE
   C. STRAUGHN (Relief Defendant), Civil Action No. 5 99CV426 (N.D.
   Ohio).

   LAST TWO CONSENT JUDGMENTS ENTERED IN SECURITIES FRAUD CASE ARISING
   FROM SCHEME TO PUMP AND DUMP THE STOCK OF INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA
   PUBLISHERS, INC.

   The Honorable Dan Aaron Polster, United States District Judge for the
   Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, has entered consent
   judgments as to Defendants Richard M. Johnson and Edward Meyer, Jr.
   (and Meyer's now-defunct corporate alter-ego, Hazlet Investors, Inc.)
   arising from their involvement in a 1996 scheme to pump and dump the
   stock of Interactive MultiMedia Publishers, Inc. ("IMP"), an Akron,
   Ohio software development firm that is now defunct. Without admitting
   or denying the allegations in the Commission's complaint, Johnson,
   Meyer and Hazlet Investors consented to judgments that permanently
   enjoin them from violations of the registration, antifraud and
   antitouting provisions of the federal securities laws (Sections 5(a),
   5(c) and 17(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the
   Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder). The
   consent judgment against Meyer and Hazlet Investors also orders them
   to disgorge $75,000 in stock sale proceeds. On the basis of their
   representations in sworn financial statements and other documents and
   information furnished to the Commission, payment of additional
   disgorgement by Meyer and Hazlet Investors was waived and civil
   penalties were not imposed. On the basis of Johnson's sworn
   representations in his Chapter 7 bankruptcy schedules, payment of
   disgorgement by Johnson was waived and civil penalties were not
   imposed.

   The consent judgment against Meyer and Hazlet Investors was filed on
   May 20, 2002 and the consent judgment against Johnson was filed on
   May 31, 2002.

   This enforcement action was part of the Commission's four-pronged
   approach to minimizing Microcap fraud enforcement, inspections,
   investor education, and regulation. For more information about the
   SEC's response to Microcap fraud, visit the SEC's Microcap Fraud
   Information Center at