Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, P.L.L.C. Files Class Action Suit Against Merrill Lynch and Henry Blodget

Business Wire, May 3, 2002

Business Editors & Legal Writers

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2002

Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, P.L.L.C. filed a lawsuit on May 3, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of purchasers of the common stock of Aether Systems (Nasdaq:AETH) between the period of November 15, 1999 through February 20, 2002 (the "Class Period"), against Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. and its Internet analysts Henry Blodget and Virginia Syer Genereux.

Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, P.L.L.C. is also involved in other cases against Merrill Lynch and Blodget on behalf of purchasers of Infospace, Internet Capital Group and Excite@Home stock.

The Complaint alleges that to maintain and enhance Merrill Lynch's investment banking relationships with Aether, defendants issued analyst reports with positive ratings on Aether which were materially misleading as they were inconsistent with their own contemporaneous, private adverse assessments of Aether. For example, defendants were repeatedly issuing a short-term accumulate, long-term buy rating on Aether despite their internal e-mails that Aether stock had horrible fundamentals.

Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, P.L.L.C. has significant experience in prosecuting investor class actions and actions involving financial fraud. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., Seattle, Washington and New York, and is active in major litigation pending in federal and state courts throughout the nation.

The firm's reputation for excellence has been recognized on repeated occasions by courts which have appointed the firm to lead positions in complex multi-district or consolidated litigation. Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, P.L.L.C. has taken a lead role in numerous important cases on behalf of defrauded investors, and has been responsible for a number of outstanding recoveries which, in the aggregate, total over a billion dollars.

If you purchased Aether common stock during the period from November 15, 1999 through February 20, 2002, inclusive, you may, no later than July 2, 2002, move to be appointed as a Lead Plaintiff.

If you have any questions about this notice or the action, or with regard to your rights, please contact either of the following: