News Release

Released: 11/01/00 Contact: Dean Pelkey
NR 00-47 (604) 899-6880 or
(BC only) 1-800-373-6393 Vancouver -- The British Columbia Securities Commission has issued a temporary order halting the selling of securities by a company it alleges was running a telemarketing operation from downtown Vancouver.

The commission has scheduled a hearing into the conduct of A2Z USA Inc for Wednesday, November 8 at the BCSC hearing room, seventh floor, 865 Hornby St., Vancouver.

Ordered to appear are Steve John Moran of San Diego, A2Z CEO; Ezra Maxwell Gardner of Rancho Santa Fe, A2Z director; Walt Bills of Las Vegas, A2Z president; Thomas Landon Croft of Delta, A2Z sales manager; Robin J. McPherson of San Diego and Vancouver, director of A2Z global expansion; and Mark Maradei, A2Z general sales manager.

The commission alleges that A2Z USA Inc contravened the B.C. Securities Act by setting up a team of unregistered individuals to sell securities over the phone.

The securities offered were interests in limited liability companies that sold retail or consumer business goods through a virtual shopping mall located on a website controlled by A2Z.

The commission also alleges that none of the people employed at A2Z's Vancouver office were registered to advise in securities. As well, A2Z has not filed a prospectus with the BCSC for any of its investment offerings.

The B.C. Securities Commission is the independent provincial government agency responsible for regulating trading in securities and exchange contracts within the province. For more information, contact Dean Pelkey, BCSC media relations officer at 604-899-6880.

Backgrounder

Here is the full text of the BCSC Notice of Hearing concerning A2Z USA Inc. The notice is also available in the documents database of our website at www.bcsc.bc.ca.


IN THE MATTER OF THE SECURITIES ACT
R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 418

AND

IN THE MATTER OF A2Z USA, INC., STEVE JOHN MORAN,
ROBIN J. MCPHERSON, THOMAS LANDON CROFT,
MARK MARADEI, EZRA MAXWELL GARDNER, AND
WALT BILLS (COLLECTIVELY THE “RESPONDENTS”)


Temporary Order and Notice of Hearing Under Section 161

[para 1]
1. WHEREAS it appears to the Executive Director, on the advice of the Staff of the British Columbia Securities Commission (the “Commission”), that:

1.1 A2Z USA, Inc. (“A2Z”) is a corporation created under the laws of the State of Nevada and registered as an extraprovincial company under the Company Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 62;

1.2 According to the records of the Registrar of Companies, the directors and officers of A2Z are Steve John Moran (“Moran”), Ezra Maxwell Gardner (“Gardner”), and Walt Bills (“Bills”);

1.3 A2Z is operating a telemarketing business that trades in securities, and has its place of business located at 22nd Floor, 1050 West Pender, Street, Vancouver, British Columbia;

1.4 A2Z is trading in the securities of various limited liability companies. A2Z contacts persons in order to sell them an interest in a limited liability company. The respective limited liability companies are to carry on business in the sale of retail consumer or business goods, and are bound to lease space on a virtual shopping mall located on the Internet Web site of A2Z;

(MORE)
1.5 A2Z is also trading in securities of its own issue. A2Z contacts persons in order to sell its securities;

1.6 Thomas Landon Croft (“Croft”) is the Sales Manager for the Vancouver office of A2Z and resides in Delta, British Columbia;

1.7 Robin J. McPherson (“McPherson”) is the Director of Global Expansion of A2Z and resides in San Diego California and in Vancouver, British Columbia;

1.8 Mark Maradei (“Maradei”) is the General Sales Manager of A2Z;

1.9 Moran is the Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of A2Z and resides in San Diego, California;

1.10 Gardner is a director of A2Z and resides in Rancho Santa Fe, California;

1.11 Bills is the President of A2Z resides in Las Vegas, Nevada;

1.12 A2Z, Bills, Croft, Gardner, McPherson, Maradei, and Moran do not possess any registration under the Securities Act, R.S.B.C 1996, c. 418 (the “Act”) to trade or advise in securities;

1.13 A2Z has not filed a preliminary prospectus or prospectus with the Commission;

1.14 No person employed by A2Z at its Vancouver office possesses any registration under the Act to trade or advise in securities;

1.15 The Respondents are trading in securities without registration under the Act in breach of section 34 of the Act;

1.16 The Respondents are distributing securities without a prospectus in breach of section 61of the Act; and

1.17 The Respondents are contacting persons, or directing or engaging other persons to contact persons by telephone, for the purposes of trading in securities in breach of section 49 of the Act.

[para 2]
2. AND WHEREAS the Executive Director considers the length of time to hold a hearing under section 161(1) of the Act could be prejudicial to the public interest.

(MORE)
[para 3]
3. AND WHEREAS the Executive Director, considering it would be in the public interest to do so, orders under section 161(2) of that Act that:

3.1 the exemptions described in sections 44 to 47, 74, 75, 98 and 99 of the Act do not apply to the Respondents, pursuant to section 161(1)(c) of the Act, until November 3, 2000 (the “Temporary Order”).

[para 4]
4. TAKE NOTICE that a hearing will be commenced before the Commission at the 7th Floor Hearing Room, 865 Hornby Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, on Wednesday, November 8, 2000, at 10:00 a.m. (the “Hearing”) to consider the Temporary Order.

[para 5]
5. AND TAKE NOTICE that at the Hearing, Staff will bring the following applications:

5.1 that the Hearing be adjourned for a period of 90 days in order to allow Staff to complete its investigation; and

5.2 that the Temporary Order be extended under section 161(3) of the Act until such time as the Hearing in this matter is completed and a decision rendered or until such time as the Commission deems appropriate.

[para 6]
6. AND TAKE NOTICE that the Respondents may be represented by counsel at the Hearing and may make representations and lead evidence. The Respondents are requested to advise the Commission of their intention to attend the Hearing by contacting the Secretary of the Commission, at 1200 – 865 Hornby Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6Z 2H4.

[para 7]
7. AND TAKE NOTICE that determinations may be made in this matter if the Respondents or their counsel do not appear at the Hearing.


DATED at Vancouver, British Columbia, on October 23, 2000.

Steve Wilson
Executive Director