U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Litigation Release No. 17530 / May 22, 2002

   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION v. AMERICAN HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS,
   INC., ARTHUR W. WHEELER, LARS M. KRAM, ANGEL L. LORIE JR., LUIS F.
   LORIE, AND MICHAEL ANTHONY LESTER 01 Civ 7649 (B.S.J) (S.D.N.Y) (May
   14, 2002)

   Officer and Director Bars and Antifraud Injunctions Entered Against
   Michael A. Lester and Lars M. Kram

   The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on May 14, 2002,
   Judge Barbara S. Jones entered final judgments against defendants
   Michael Anthony Lester ("Lester") and Lars M. Kram ("Kram"), barring
   them from serving as an officer or director of a public company. The
   judgment also contains permanent injunctions against Lester and Kram,
   enjoining them from further violations of Sections 17(a) and of the
   Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act") and Section 10(b) Exchange
   Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. In addition, the judgment permanently
   enjoins Lester from further violations of Section 17(b) of the
   Exchange Act. The Court further ordered Kram to disgorge $73,659.98
   plus $10,708.75 in prejudgment interest, but waived payment based on
   his demonstrated inability to pay. Finally, the Court did not impose
   civil monetary penalties based on Lester's and Kram's demonstrated
   inabilities to pay. Defendants Kram and Lester consented to the entry
   of the judgments, without admitting or denying the allegations in the
   Commission's Complaint.

   The complaint, filed on August 16, 2001, charged American Healthcare
   Providers, Inc. and five individuals for their roles in an Internet
   market manipulation scheme. The Commission's complaint alleges that
   American Healthcare was a start-up company with "headquarters" in the
   New York City apartment of one of the defendants, and had virtually no
   business operations. The Commission charges that after pumping up the
   price of American Healthcare stock through an extensive campaign of
   false press releases and Internet message board postings, certain of
   the defendants dumped their holdings of the stock on the unsuspecting
   public, reaping at least $1.47 million in illicit gains.

   The Commission continues to prosecute the litigation against the
   remaining defendants.

   For tips on how to avoid Internet "pump-and-dump" stock manipulation
   schemes,
   visit . For more information about
   Internet fraud, visit . To report suspicious activity involving
   possible Internet fraud, visit .