FBF Fleetboston Financial Corp

Spector, Roseman & Kodroff, P.C. Announces the Filing of a Class Action Suit Against FleetBoston Financial Corporation and Certain of its Affiliates on Behalf of Purchasers of the Securities of the Columbia Family of Funds PHILADELPHIA, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Spector, Roseman & Kodroff, P.C. announces that a class action lawsuit was commenced in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts on behalf of purchasers, redeemers and holders of shares of Columbia Family of Mutual Funds ("Columbia" or the "Company"), between February 13, 1999 through January 14, 2004, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The following Columbia Funds are subject to this lawsuit: Columbia Acorn Fund (NASDAQ:LACAXNASDAQ:LACBXNASDAQ:LIACXNASDAQ:ACRNX) Columbia Acorn Select (NASDAQ:LTFAXNASDAQ:LTFBXNASDAQ:LTFCXNASDAQ:ACTWX) Columbia Acorn USA (NASDAQ:LAUAXNASDAQ:LAUBXNASDAQ:LAUCXNASDAQ:AUSAX) Columbia Asset Allocation Fund (NASDAQ:LAAAXNASDAQ:LAABXNASDAQ:LAACXNASDAQ:GBAAXNASDAQ:GAAAXNASDAQ:GAATX) Columbia Balanced Fund (NASDAQ:CBLAXNASDAQ:CBLBXNASDAQ:CBLCXNASDAQ:CBLDXNASDAQ:CBALX) Columbia Common Stock Fund (NASDAQ:CMSAXNASDAQ:CMSBXNASDAQ:CCSCXNASDAQ:CMSDXNASDAQ:CMSTX) Columbia Disciplined Value Fund (NASDAQ:LEVAXNASDAQ:LEVBXNASDAQ:LEVCXNASDAQ:GEVBXNASDAQ:GALEXNASDAQ:GEVTX) Columbia Dividend Income Fund (NASDAQ:LBSAXNASDAQ:LBSBXNASDAQ:LBSCXNASDAQ:GEQBXNASDAQ:GEQAXNASDAQ:GSFTX) Columbia Growth & Income Fund (NASDAQ:CFGAXNASDAQ:CFGBXNASDAQ:CFGDXNASDAQ:LGISX) Columbia Growth Fund (NASDAQ:CGWAXNASDAQ:CGWBXNASDAQ:CGWCXNASDAQ:CGWDXNASDAQ:CGWGXNASDAQ:CLMBX) Columbia Growth Stock Fund (NASDAQ:CGSAXNASDAQ:CGSBXNASDAQ:CGSCXNASDAQ:SRFSX) Columbia Large Cap Core Fund (NASDAQ:LCCAXNASDAQ:LCCBXNASDAQ:LCCCXNASDAQ:GGRBXNASDAQ:SGIEXNASDAQ:SMGIX) Columbia Large Cap Growth Fund (NASDAQ:LEGAXNASDAQ:LEGBXNASDAQ:LEGCXNASDAQ:GBEGXNASDAQ:GAEGXNASDAQ:GEGTX) Columbia Large Company Index Fund (NASDAQ:LLIAXNASDAQ:LLIBXNASDAQ:LLICXNASDAQ:ILCIX) Columbia Liberty Fund (NASDAQ:COLFXNASDAQ:CCFBXNASDAQ:CTCCXNASDAQ:CTCFX) Columbia Mid Cap Growth Fund (NASDAQ:CBSAXNASDAQ:CBSBXNASDAQ:CMCCXNASDAQ:CBSDXNASDAQ:CBSGXNASDAQ:CBSTXNASDAQ:CLSPX) Columbia Mid Cap Value Fund (NASDAQ:COLGXNASDAQ:COGBXNASDAQ:CSVCXNASDAQ:LSVSX) Columbia Real Estate Equity Fund (NASDAQ:CREAXNASDAQ:CREBXNASDAQ:CRECXNASDAQ:CREDXNASDAQ:CREEX) Columbia Small Cap Fund (NASDAQ:LSMAXNASDAQ:LSMBXNASDAQ:LSMCXNASDAQ:GBSMXNASDAQ:SSCEXNASDAQ:SMCEX) Columbia Small Cap Growth Fund (NASDAQ:CMSCX) Columbia Small Cap Value Fund (NASDAQ:CSMIXNASDAQ:CSSBXNASDAQ:CSSCXNASDAQ:CSCZX) Columbia Small Company Equity Fund (NASDAQ:LSEAXNASDAQ:LSEBXNASDAQ:LSECXNASDAQ:GERBXNASDAQ:GASEXNASDAQ:GSETX) Columbia Small Company Index Fund (NASDAQ:LBIAXNASDAQ:LBIBXNASDAQ:LBICXNASDAQ:ISCIX) Columbia Strategic Investor Fund (NASDAQ:CSVAXNASDAQ:CSVBXNASDAQ:CSRCXNASDAQ:CSVDXNASDAQ:CSVFX) Columbia Tax-Managed Aggressive Growth Fund (NASDAQ:LTMAXNASDAQ:LTAGXNASDAQ:LTACXNASDAQ:LTAZX) Columbia Tax-Managed Growth Fund (NASDAQ:STMAXNASDAQ:CTMBXNASDAQ:CTMCXNASDAQ:LMGZX) Columbia Tax-Managed Growth Fund II (NASDAQ:LTGAXNASDAQ:LTIIXNASDAQ:LTGCXNASDAQ:LTGZX) Columbia Tax-Managed Value Fund (NASDAQ:SRVAXNASDAQ:CTMVXNASDAQ:LTVCXNASDAQ:LTMZX) Columbia Technology Fund (NASDAQ:CTCAXNASDAQ:CTCBXNASDAQ:CTHCXNASDAQ:CTCDXNASDAQ:CMTFX) Columbia Thermostat Fund (NASDAQ:CTFAXNASDAQ:CTFBXNASDAQ:CTFDXNASDAQ:COTZX) Columbia Utilities Fund (NASDAQ:CUTLXNASDAQ:CUTBXNASDAQ:CUTFXNASDAQ:LUFZX) Columbia Young Investor Fund (NASDAQ:LYIAXNASDAQ:LYIBXNASDAQ:LYICXNASDAQ:SRYIX) Columbia Acorn International Fund (NASDAQ:LAIAXNASDAQ:LIABXNASDAQ:LAICXNASDAQ:ACINX) Columbia Acorn International Select Fund (NASDAQ:LAFAXNASDAQ:LFFBXNASDAQ:LFFCXNASDAQ:ACFFX) Columbia Europe Fund (NASDAQ:NEUAXNASDAQ:LNEBXNASDAQ:LNECXNASDAQ:LNEZX) Columbia European Thematic Equity Fund (NASDAQ:LSREX) Columbia Global Equity Fund (NASDAQ:CGUAXNASDAQ:CGUBXNASDAQ:CGUCX) Columbia Global Thematic Equity Fund (NASDAQ:LSRGX) Columbia International Equity Fund (NASDAQ:LIEAXNASDAQ:LIEBXNASDAQ:LIECXNASDAQ:GBIEXNASDAQ:GAIEXNASDAQ:GIETX) Columbia International Stock Fund (NASDAQ:CISAXNASDAQ:CISBXNASDAQ:CSKCXNASDAQ:CISDXNASDAQ:CMISX) Columbia Newport Asia Pacific Fund (NASDAQ:NWAPXNASDAQ:LNABXNASDAQ:LNACXNASDAQ:LAPSX) Columbia Newport Japan Opportunities Fund (NASDAQ:NJOAXNASDAQ:NJOBXNASDAQ:NJOCXNASDAQ:LNJZX) Columbia Newport Greater China Fund (NASDAQ:NGCAXNASDAQ:NGCBXNASDAQ:NGCCXNASDAQ:LNGZX) Columbia Newport Tiger Fund (NASDAQ:CNTAXNASDAQ:CNTBXNASDAQ:CNTDXNASDAQ:CNTTXNASDAQ:CNTZX) Columbia Contrarian Income Fund (NASDAQ:CHINXNASDAQ:LCIBXNASDAQ:LCICXNASDAQ:LCIZX) Columbia Corporate Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LBCAXNASDAQ:LBCBXNASDAQ:LBCCXNASDAQ:GCBTX) Columbia Daily Income Company Fund (NASDAQ:CDIXX) Columbia Federal Securities Fund (NASDAQ:CFSAXNASDAQ:CFSOXNASDAQ:CFSCXNASDAQ:LFSZX) Columbia Fixed Income Securities Fund (NASDAQ:CFIAXNASDAQ:CFIBXNASDAQ:CISCXNASDAQ:CFIDXNASDAQ:CFISX) Columbia Floating Rate Advantage Fund (NASDAQ:XSFRXNASDAQ:XSFBXNASDAQ:XLACXNASDAQ:XLAZX) Columbia Floating Rate Fund (NASDAQ:XLFAXNASDAQ:XLSBXNASDAQ:XLFCXNASDAQ:XLFZX) Columbia High Yield Fund (NASDAQ:CHGAXNASDAQ:CHGBXNASDAQ:CHDCXNASDAQ:CHGDXNASDAQ:CMHYX) Columbia High Yield Opportunity Fund (NASDAQ:COLHXNASDAQ:COHBXNASDAQ:CHYCXNASDAQ:LHYZX) Columbia Income Fund (NASDAQ:LIIAXNASDAQ:CIOBXNASDAQ:CIOCXNASDAQ:SRINX) Columbia Intermediate Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LIBAXNASDAQ:LIBBXNASDAQ:LIBCXNASDAQ:SRBFX) Columbia Intermediate Government Income Fund (NASDAQ:LIGAXNASDAQ:LIGBXNASDAQ:LIGCXNASDAQ:GGIBXNASDAQ:GALBXNASDAQ:GIBTX) Columbia Money Market Fund (NASDAQ:CMMXXNASDAQ:CMBXXNASDAQ:CMCXXNASDAQ:LMZXX) Columbia Quality Plus Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LQPAXNASDAQ:LQPBXNASDAQ:LQPCXNASDAQ:GBHQXNASDAQ:GAHQXNASDAQ:GHQTX) Columbia Short Term Bond Fund (NASDAQ:CTBAXNASDAQ:CTBBXNASDAQ:CSHCXNASDAQ:CTBDXNASDAQ:CTBGXNASDAQ:CTBTXNASDAQ:CUGGX) Columbia Strategic Income Fund (NASDAQ:COSIXNASDAQ:CLSBXNASDAQ:CLSCXNASDAQ:LSIZX) Columbia US Treasury Index Fund (NASDAQ:LUTAXNASDAQ:LUTBXNASDAQ:LUTCXNASDAQ:IUTIX) Columbia California Tax-Exempt Fund (NASDAQ:CLMPXNASDAQ:CCABXNASDAQ:CCAOX) Columbia Connecticut Intermediate Municipal Bond (NASDAQ:LCTAXNASDAQ:LCTBXNASDAQ:LCTCXNASDAQ:GCBBXNASDAQ:GCBAXNASDAQ:SCTEX) Columbia Connecticut Tax-Exempt Fund (NASDAQ:COCTXNASDAQ:CCTBXNASDAQ:CCTCX) Columbia Florida Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LFIAXNASDAQ:LFIBXNASDAQ:LFICXNASDAQ:SFTEX) Columbia High Yield Municipal Fund (NASDAQ:LHIAXNASDAQ:CHMBXNASDAQ:CHMCXNASDAQ:SRHMX) ColumbiaIntermediate Tax-Exempt Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LITAXNASDAQ:LITBXNASDAQ:LITCXNASDAQ:GIMBXNASDAQ:GIMAXNASDAQ:SETMX) Columbia Managed Municipals Fund (NASDAQ:LMMAXNASDAQ:LMMBXNASDAQ:LMMCXNASDAQ:SRMMX) Columbia Massachusetts Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LMIAXNASDAQ:LMIBXNASDAQ:LMICXNASDAQ:GMBBXNASDAQ:GMBAXNASDAQ:SEMAX) Columbia Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Fund (NASDAQ:COMAXNASDAQ:CMABXNASDAQ:COMCX) Columbia Municipal Money Market Fund (NASDAQ:CXMXXNASDAQ:CMNXXNASDAQ:CMXXXNASDAQ:CMZXX) Columbia National Municipal Bond Fund (NASDAQ:CNLAXNASDAQ:CNLBXNASDAQ:CNBCXNASDAQ:CNLDXNASDAQ:CLNMX) Columbia New Jersey Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LNIAXNASDAQ:LNIBXNASDAQ:LNICXNASDAQ:GNJBXNASDAQ:GNJAXNASDAQ:GNJTX) Columbia New York Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LNYAXNASDAQ:LNYBXNASDAQ:LNYCXNASDAQ:GBNYXNASDAQ:GANYXNASDAQ:GNYTX) Columbia New York Tax-Exempt Fund (NASDAQ:COLNXNASDAQ:CNYBXNASDAQ:CNYCX) Columbia Oregon Municipal Bond Fund (NASDAQ:COEAXNASDAQ:COEBXNASDAQ:CORCXNASDAQ:COEDXNASDAQ:CMBFX) Columbia Pennsylvania Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LPIAXNASDAQ:LPIBXNASDAQ:LPICXNASDAQ:GTPAX) Columbia Rhode Island Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund (NASDAQ:LRIAXNASDAQ:LRIBXNASDAQ:LRICXNASDAQ:GRBBXNASDAQ:GRBAXNASDAQ:GRITX) Columbia Tax-Exempt Fund (NASDAQ:COLTXNASDAQ:CTEBXNASDAQ:COLCX) Columbia Tax-Exempt Insured Fund (NASDAQ:CEXIXNASDAQ:CEIBXNASDAQ:CEINX) The Complaint charges FleetBoston Financial Corporation, Columbia Management Group, Inc., Columbia Management Advisors, Inc., Columbia Wanger Asset Management, L.P., the Columbia Funds, and the Doe Defendants with violations of the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940, and with common law fiduciaryduties. Specifically, the Complaint alleges that during the Class Period the defendants engaged in illegal and improper trading practices, which caused financial injury to the Shareholders of the Columbia Mutual Funds. According to the Complaint, theDefendants surreptitiously permitted certain favored investors, to illegally engage in "market timing" of the Columbia Mutual Funds whereby favored investors were permitted to conduct short-term, "in and out" trading of mutual fund shares, despite explicit restrictions on such activity in the Columbia Family of Mutual Funds' prospectuses. If you purchased shares of mutual funds managed by Columbia during the Class Period, you may, no later than April 13, 2004, move to be appointed as a Lead Plaintiff in this class action. A Lead Plaintiff is a representative, chosen by the Court, that acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 directs Courts to assume that the class member(s) with the "largest financial interest" in the outcome of the case will best serve the class in this capacity. Courts have discretion in determining which class member(s) have the "largest financial interest," and have appointed Lead Plaintiffs with substantial losses in both absolute terms and as a percentage of their net worth. If you have sustained substantial losses in Columbia Family of Mutual Funds during the Class Period, please contact Spector, Roseman & Kodroff, P.C. at for a more thorough explanation of the Lead Plaintiff selection process. If you have relatively small losses, your ability to participate in any recovery will be protected by the Lead Plaintiff(s), and you need take no affirmative steps at this time. If you wish to join this action, please visit http://www.srk-law.com/dbjoinaclassaction.asp. If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, please contact plaintiff's counsel Robert M. Roseman toll-free at888-844-5862 or via e-mail at . For more detailed information about the firm please visit its website at http://www.srk-law.com/. Spector, Roseman & Kodroff, P.C., located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, concentrates its practice in complex litigation including actions dealing with securities laws, antitrust, contract and commercial claims. The firm is active in major litigation pending in federal and state courts throughout the United States. The firm's reputation for excellence has been recognized on repeated occasions by courts which have appointed the firm as lead counsel in numerous major class actions involving violations of the federal securities laws and the federal antitrust laws, and consumer fraud. As a result of the efforts of the firm, and its members, hundreds of millions of dollars have been recovered on behalf of thousands of defrauded shareholders and companies. CONTACT: Robert M. Roseman - +1-888-844-5862. DATASOURCE: Spector, Roseman & Kodroff, P.C. CONTACT: Robert M. Roseman of Spector Roseman & Kodroff, +1-888-844-5862 Web site: http://www.srk-law.com/ http://www.srk-law.com/dbjoinaclassaction.asp

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