Exhibit 99.1

                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002


         In connection with the Quarterly Report of Asta Funding, Inc. (the
"Company") on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended December 31, 2002 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Report"), I, Gary Stern, Chief
Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

         (1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) of
             the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

         (2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
             material respects, the consolidated financial condition of the
             Company as of the dates presented and the consolidated result of
             operations of the Company for the periods presented.

Dated: February 10, 2003



                                               /S/ Gary Stern
                                               -------------------------
                                                   Gary Stern
                                                   Chief Executive Officer

This certification has been furnished solely pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and has not been filed as part of the Report or as a
separate disclosure document.