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Technology Stocks : IDT *(idtc) following this new issue?* -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Smear_campaign who wrote (11282)	7/13/1999 12:55:00 AM
From: Hawaii60	Respond to of 30916

Chris Edgecomb, chief executive of STAR Telecommunications in Santa Barbara, watched in horror last year as someone impersonated him on the Internet, used a digital name nearly identical to his and, he says, lied about the company -- even falsely reporting his resignation. If that weren't bad enough, other anonymous critics entered the fray in response to the false Edgecomb postings, and accused the CEO of engaging in unethical and illegal business practices. The company issued a memo, warning investors that false statements were being made about Edgecomb and the company. But the cyber-assaults continued. So STAR filed lawsuits in Santa Barbara Superior Court against those it labeled as unethical detractors, alleging fraud, trade libel, violation of electronic communications privacy, and unfair trade practices. The $600-million long-distance carrier tracked down several defendants using subpoenas served on Internet provider Yahoo!, which was ordered to reveal their identities. "They think they are hidden and protected and they are not. We will find them. Everybody has a right to their opinion, but what you don't have a right to do is mount personal attacks on people, to make false statements about them, or to issue misinformation to manipulate stock." In settling the case, defendants Steven Bruce, who allegedly impersonated Edgecomb, Jeremy Coon and Don Doney of Wisconsin, have not admitted to any wrongdoing. Several critics are believed to have had short positions in STAR stock, meaning they had the potential to profit if the stock went down, sources said. The motivations of others are unclear. The postings mentioned in the lawsuit were made on the "STRX Message Board" managed by Yahoo! According to the lawsuit, Coon worked for the hedge fund Weintraub Capital Management of San Francisco, which was also named in the suit. The firm reportedly settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.