Release #4178-98
    (3:98 Civ.0281AS)

For Release:
    August 13, 1998

INDIANA COURT
    ENTERS PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION IN CFTC ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST SIX
    DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH COMMODITY POOL FRAUD

CFTC Alleges
    that the Defendants Defrauded More than 135 Investors in Indiana and
    Elsewhere Who Had Invested More Than $2.28 Million in Two Commodity
    Pools

WASHINGTON �
    The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced today that U.S.
    District Court Judge Allen Sharp of the U.S. District Court for the
    Northern District of Indiana entered a preliminary injunction against Steven D. Hudkins and Market Capital Growth, Inc. (both of
    Elkhart, Indiana), Carmen J. Field (of South Bend, Indiana), Bart
    BeMiller (of Wakarusa, Indiana), and Robert J. Riethman (of
    Fishers, Indiana) arising from their allegedly fraudulent operation of
    commodity pools, HFI and MCG.

The court's order,
    entered on July 21, 1998, stems from an eight-count CFTC complaint filed on
    May 29, 1998, charging the defendants with violating the anti-fraud
    provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations by
    defrauding more than 135 investors in Indiana and elsewhere who had
    invested more than $2.28 million in two commodity pools. (See CFTC News
    Release #4152-98, June 8, 1998.)

The injunction was
    entered pursuant to a motion filed by the CFTC and after testimony was
    presented at an evidentiary hearing held before U.S. Magistrate Robin D.
    Pierce.

The order enjoins
    these five defendants from committing fraud in connection with commodity
    futures transactions or otherwise engaging in any business activities
    related to commodity futures trading. The order also continues an asset
    freeze that had been ordered against defendants Hudkins and Field and
    requires that each of these defendants file a preliminary accounting with
    the court covering the period from January 1992 to the present.

Judge Sharp's
    order approved and confirmed the specific findings of fact made by
    Magistrate Pierce including that:

-- Hudkins, Field,
    BeMiller and Riethman each knowingly and intentionally made false
    representations to investors and potential investors in one of the two
    commodity pools; -- Hudkins, BeMiller, and MCG had misappropriated MCG
    investor funds; and

-- Hudkins and
    Field had misappropriated in excess of $1.7 million received from HFI
    investors.

Consent
    Preliminary Injunction Entered Against Defendant Mona L.
    Smith

Also on July 21,
    1998, Judge Sharp entered a consent order of preliminary injunction against
    the other defendant in the case, Mona L. Smith of South Bend,
    Indiana, which similarly enjoins Smith from engaging in any business
    activities related to commodity futures trading, continues the asset freeze
    against her, and requires her to provide a preliminary
    accounting.

A September 11,
    1998 pretrial conference has been set in this matter.

In its continuing
    litigation, the CFTC's complaint seeks a permanent injunction enjoining
    each defendant from further violations of the CEA and CFTC regulations as
    charged, disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains received and restitution to
    the defrauded investors, and the imposition of civil monetary penalties of
    not more than the higher of $100,000 or triple the monetary gain to the
    respondent for each violation of the Commodity Exchange Act or CFTC
    regulations committed prior to November 27, 1996 or $110,000 or triple the
    monetary gain to defendants each violation committed after November 26,
    1996.