European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 25, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday january 25, 1991 the stars and stripes. A a a Page 9low-priced Stock scam uncovered2 7 brokers indicted in Price fixing scheme by the new York times new York a in an indictment that can Only increase fears of trading Low priced Over the counter stocks new York prosecutors said wednesday that traders for six firms had been involved in a conspiracy to fix prices and defraud investors. Prosecutors contended the conspiracy went on for More than two years continuing even when the firm said to have masterminded the scheme went out of business. -. A Quot a a Quot a a a total of 21 brokers was indicted with 13 accused of a Enterprise corruption a new Yorkus equivalent of the Federal racketeering Law. Other charges included fraud and grand larceny. The allegations denied by All the defendants at their arraignment provided a rare glimpse into the world of trading in smaller stocks on the National association of securities dealers. Automated quotation system. The indictment said that for several years the traders engaged in arranged trades that inflated prices and enabled them to bilk customers of millions of dollars. A. A a a a three firms two of which Are now out of business were among those indicted As were traders for three other firms. Relying on what prosecutors said were taped conversations the indictments obtained by the Manhattan District attorneys office charged that traders at several firms worked under the direction of officials at Wakefield financial corp., which has since failed. Wakefield was run by Alexander min Ella of Brewster n.y., prosecutors said while the other defunct firm Kelly trading co., was run by his brother Keith of Westport Conn. The indictments said there had been illicit trading in six Nash a stocks including Topol Gix inc., a computer company that has since gone out of business and component guard inc., which provides service contracts for Home electronics items. New York City police detectives nearest camera escort some of the 21 registered Security brokers accused in an Over the counter scam. The traders were charged with taking part in a massive Stock rigging scheme that bilked customers of million of dollars. Both companies went Public in initial offerings underwritten by Wakefield in 1987. Component guard and Topol Gix became apparently hot new issues. They were sold in units not individual shares a popular tactic in the Penny Stock Market. In the Case of component guard each unit consisted of 20 shares and five warrants to buy additional shares. The units were initially sold for $6 each but Rose quickly and steadily. The allegation says that the securities in the unit Rose to $47.50 by feb. 23, 1989, when they plunged following Wakefield a failure. A unit is now valued at about $3.28. At . Scott amp co. Of Plainview n.y., the Only indicted brokerage firm still in business officials issued a statement say ing that neither the firm norts indicted officers George and John Kevorkian had done anything wrong. The brokerage firms at which traders were indicted but which were not themselves named in the indictment were Baird Patrick amp co. Of new York Nash Weiss amp co. Of Jersey City and Carr securities corp. Of new York. Nunn in 2nd place As to Bush in 1992 Cox news service Washington a sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia has moved to second place behind new York gov. Mario m. Cuomo among prospective hopefuls for the democratic presidential nomination next year according to a Survey of senior congressional aides. Cuomo is considered the most Likely opponent for president Bush As sen. Bill Bradley of new Jersey plummeted from first to seventh in the Survey. Nunn who has downplayed presidential speculation in elevating his congressional profile was the Choice of 15 percent of the staffers compared with 3 percent a year ago. He was Fol Nunn Lowed by House majority Leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri sen. Lloyd Bentsen a Texas and sen. A1 Gore jr., a Tenn. The study also found that nearly half of All senior aides think Bush has had a successful administration though republicans Are More enthusiastic. Wisconsin Board rules woman at work was Milwaukee apr secondhand cigarette smoke caused a permanent disability Over an eight year period a state commission ruled in awarding $23,400 in workers compensation to a Wisconsin . _ a it should be heartening for individuals with any kind of occupational exposure that there is recovery for injury a Thomas Domer the plaintiffs lawyer said. I be said it was the first of its kind in the state. The decision handed Down dec. 11 by the labor and Industry review commission ruled in favor of accountant Deborah Kufahl 37, who collected the Money last week after Bell decided not to Appeal. Kufahl a non smoker said the decision confirmed what doctors told her years ago that secondhand smoke Likely caused a series of ailments that led her to miss work and contributed to her being fired. A a a a the commission reviews contested workers compensation decisions. Kufahl had appealed a state administrative Law judges award of Only $1,872. The specialist to whom Bell sent Kufahl confirmed that she had developed a permanent sensitization because of her exposure to smoke and fumes at work wrote the judge who ruled in her favor last May. The commission confirmed the judges ruling that she had been disabled by smoke at work. It increased her award to $23,400, concluding that her ability to move to higher paying positions is hampered by her permanent sensitization to smoke Kufahl went to work for Bell in 1978, in an office where cubicles Are separated by dividers. A i shared a cubicle from Day one with a person who was a Chain smoker a she said. A most of the people surrounding me were also smokers. So it was  person in the Middle of a Circle of  a Hubble May get fitted for Washington a Nasa is studying a plan to repair the nearsighted Hubble space Telescope that involves inserting postage stamp sized mirrors on four instruments to Sharpen its focus. If the plan works the $1.5 billion Telescope should be restored to near perfect health. A this strategy recovers essentially All the science capabilities expected at launch a according to a report by a  astronomers and engineers organized by the space Telescope science Institute. Nasa is studying the plan and will make a final decision by May. The repair Mission is scheduled for Early 1993 and will require three six hour space w Alks. The Telescope launched with great fanfare last april from the space shuttle discovery was expected to see objects billions of Light years away. But scientists quickly discovered the main Mirror was ground to the wrong prescription and that the telescopes View of the universe was blurred.  proposed by the panel will in effect put eyeglasses on the instruments. The main optical instrument will be replaced with a unit that contains the corrective lenses. Making the lenses building the replacement Box and training astronauts to install them could Cost up to $30 million according to Nasa