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December 13, 2007 12:36 am

COMPANY CARS

Metropolitan Grapevine and its affiliated ventures owned more than 50 cars, vans and SUVs, The majority were paid for in cash, according to Raymond Peroutka, who is heading the investigation into the company's books. Among the vehicles are eight Cadillacs, two Corvettes, two Lincoln Town Cars and four 2007 Mercedes-Benz S Class S550s. Peroutka has auctioned off some, but is still trying to find about 30 of the vehicles.

UNCOVERED ASSETS

Invotex Inc., a Baltimore firm specializing in financial analysis in investigations, has turned up $1 million in assets, including $800,000 in cash. It has found nine accounts at SunTrust Bank that belonged to Metropolitan Grapevine and its subsidiaries, and is still looking for additional accounts and other banks.

GRAPEVINE'S BRANCHES

Metropolitan Grapevine apparently had offices for its Dream Homes program and various other businesses in at least eight states and Washington. The majority were in Maryland, where Metropolitan Grapevine had its headquarters, Virginia and Washington. The company's two Virginia offices were in Herndon and the Chancellor Executive Center on State Route 3 in Spotsylvania County. Other states include California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, New York and North Carolina.

KNOWN INVESTORS

About 2,000 people refinanced their homes or bought one or more properties thinking that Metropolitan Grapevine's Dream Homes program would pay off their mortgages, according to Peroutka. Any investors, employees or vendors who still need to file claims against Metropolitan Grapevine can find the appropriate forms at pos-receiver.com.