SEX SUIT FILED AGAINST MAJOR INVESTMENT COMPANY ADVEST, INC.

Massachusetts Woman Sexually Harassed At Advest, A Major Investment Company: Supervisor Admits To Soliciting Prostitutes, Involvement With Internet Pornography and Receiving Sex Products In Office.

For Immediate Release
Brookline, Massachusetts
Wednesday, September 17, 2003

Corrine Eldredge, a former employee of Advest, Inc. in Yarmouthport and Osterville, Massachusetts, has filed suit in the Barnstable Superior Court alleging sexual harassment by her supervisor and illegal retaliation by Advest. In her complaint, Eldredge likens that the workplace at Advest, an investment banking and stock brokerage company, to a brothel. Eldredge alleges that Steven Norton of Hyannis, her supervisor and a securities broker, created a sexually hostile work environment.

In her complaint, Eldredge alleges that Norton would use the telephone at Advest to arrange meetings with prostitutes at local hotels. Norton and Advest admit this allegation in their answer to Eldredges complaint. In her complaint, Eldredge states that she was offended when she was required to answer the telephone and receive calls from prostitutes for Norton. In filings with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, Eldredge reported that prostitutes with "stage names" like Candy, Zuzu, and Xanadu would call Norton on a daily basis and that she would have to take these calls. Eldredge states in her complaint that, when she was hired, she expected to work on the type of business activities one would expect to be engaged in by an investment company. Instead, her complaint states, "the office environment was akin to that which might be expected in a brothel." Eldredge could overhear Norton talking to prostitutes and escort services in the small two person office. On two occasions, Eldredge alleges, Norton took delivery of Viagra, leaving the box on the counter until she threw it away. Eldredge also complained that she was exposed to pornographic images of naked women that Norton would view in the workplace. Advest and Norton admitted, in their answer to the complaint, that Norton would use the office to take delivery of products related to his sexual activity and would view pornography in the workplace on his computer via on the internet.

Shortly after Eldredge complained about Nortons activities, Advest fired Eldredge, closed its Yarmouthport office, and transferred Norton to the Osterville Branch. Eldredge claims this was illegal retaliation for her complaints. Advest says that the office was closed because it was losing money, and Eldredge was no longer needed. Eldredges lawyer, J. Whitfield Larrabee, states: "If Advest had properly supervised Norton, he would not have been free to pursue his sexual addiction and the office would have been more profitable. For this reason, Advest did not have a legitimate economic justification for firing Eldredge."

Eldredge has also alleged that Advest violated security industry rules and regulations by allowing Norton to use his Advest account to pay for his sexual activities. For example, Norton would charge his Advest account to stay at the Comfort Inn in Hyannis. "Since Mr. Norton lives in Hyannis with his wife, it is odd that he visited the Hyannis Comfort Inn so often," Larrabee said. Larrabee added, "It is a strange way to run an investment company. I certainly wouldnt trust them with my money."

For more information, contact J. Whitfield Larrabee, Esq., Office: (617) 566-3670, e-mail: larrabee@corporateliabilitylaw.com

Plaintiffs Complaint, Defendants Answer, and MCAD filings available on request.