WPC  !D %W.J8^>Ö.m,k2lr 5fG@!g+ ^Ye:f=^Yf`uBdEi߾Κ5T#y:,q0ǚ*a֧z.|y^1 6O +sBŕoTԱ`7f5:MmLjS : Ǜ/`q5F(޿jȘD*qs0T07aCxqV-NZ;5^?}aSjF.~Uj1w41!&h*taԌ:qs8]1pvY{Ջ'[d)G ꅓcȄ%z$1Z t<58&ǹ")B4۱z:oDsZX:pb޽F2 ܖʀD{")um,JӁD* <΅j7B@Frۭt3FnU>4r 0< 0<@ 0n|U FU J00z 0#$UN %3 M9 (= Ne ^ g ws 4w  m \  `&Times New Roman'  Training0Training .   <:Default Para<:Footnote Ref< :Endnote TextXXX7\  `.Times New Roman TURkIA`2WP TypographicSymbols#|x(rq$..       X X HP LaserJet 5M,,,,0(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular X#y/ h.:i+00U  q!..       [X X[ [  _       XX[XXXXBonSecoursCommunityInvestmentFundv.NetworkTechnologiesGroup,CaseNo.:24C03  001338,2003_MDBT_Ԁ7(CircuitCourtforBaltimoreCity)(2003)(perEvelynOmegaCannon)  TheDefendant_Ellin_Ԁ&Tucker,Chartered(XIXXX_AXXXXIE_&TXIXXX@XXXXI)movedfordismissalofCount1ofthe | complaintagainstit,allegingthatitfailedtostateaclaimundertheMarylandSecuritiesAct d (Md.Code,Corps.&Associations,XIXXX'XXXXI11101(1999)(XIXXX_AXXXXIthe_ԀActXIXXX@XXXXI).E&Tservedasauditorto J defendantNetworkTechnologiesGroup,Inc.(XIXXX_AXXXXINTG_XIXXX@XXXXI)in2000and2001.OnMarch4,2002, 2  _NTG_Ԁsoldover350,000sharesof_NTG_ԀstocktoBonSecoursforapurchasepriceofgreaterthan  j $1million.Withinfourmonthsofthetransaction,plaintiffallegesthatitdiscoveredthat_NTG_  P hadmisledinvestorsregardingitsfinancialcondition;consequentlyBonSecourslostmorethan  6 $1million.    E&Tmovedtodismissforthreereasons:(1)itwasnotinprivitywithorhaveadirect   relationshipwithBonSecours;(2)itwasnotaninvestmentadvisortoBonSecours;and(3)as ~  anaccountingfirm,itwasexpresslyexcludedfromthedefinitionofinvestmentadvisor.Bon d  SecourscounteredthatE&Twasliableasanaiderandabettorandasanagentof_NTG_. J  Held:AnE&TprincipalperformedmanyofthefunctionsoftheChiefFinancialOfficerof_NTG_. f Additionally,atthisstageitispossibletoinferthatE&TXIXXX_AXXXXImaterially_ԀaidedXIXXX@XXXXIԀinthesalebecauseit L knowinglymadefalsestatementsthatitknewBonSecourswouldrelyupon. 4 Synopsis:Section11101(h)(2)(iii)defineswhenanaccountis,orisnot,anagent;anagent  wouldbepotentiallyliable.Anaccountantisnotanagentifperformanceofinvestmentadvisory  servicesissolelyincidentaltothepracticeoftheprofession.Thecourtdistinguishesthe | decisionofBaker,Wattsv.Miles&_Stockbridge_,95Md.App.145(1993)becauseinthecaseat b E&Twasdoingmorethanengagingintraditionaladvisoryfunctions:oneofitsofficers H essentiallyservedaschieffinancialofficerof_NTG_Ԁanditalsoperformeditsauditsandadvised .~ andconsultedonfinancialprojectionsandotherfinancialdocuments,knowingthatthose d documentswerebeingpreparedspecificallyforBonSecours.Moreover,E&Twasdirectly J involvedinadvising_NTG_Ԁregardingthevalueof_NTG_Ԁandassistingittoplananegotiation 0 strategyfordeterminingthepurchasepriceofthesecuritiestobeissuedbyBonSecours.