UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

             LITIGATION RELEASE NO. 15980 / November 18, 1998

             SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION V. FUNDING RESOURCE
             GROUP, QUENTIN D. HIX, GENE COULTER, STEVEN C. ROBERTS, MVP
             NETWORK, INC., a/k/a MVP NETWORK (TRUST), FMCI TRUST,
             FUNDERS MARKETING COMPANY, INC., RAYMOND G. PARR, WILLARD
             VEARL SMITH, EARL D. MCKINNEY, FORTUNE INVESTMENTS, LTD.,
             ROBERT CORD, a/k/a/ ROBERT F. SCHOONOVER, JR., WINTERHAWK
             WEST INDIES, LTD., IGW TRUST, CAROLYN DON HICKS AND CARL
             LADANE WEAVER, #3-98CV2689-X, USDC, ND/TX (DALLAS DIVISION)

                  On November 13, 1998, the Commission filed a complaint
             in the United States District Court for the Northern
             District of Texas in Dallas against more than a dozen
             defendants involved in the fraudulent sales of interests in
             a succession of non-existent prime bank trading programs
             which raised over $14 million from hundreds of investors in
             Texas and 17 other states.  The Court granted the
             Commission's request for an order freezing the defendants'
             assets.  Additionally, the Court ordered all defendants to
             account for investor monies and ordered the appointment of a
             receiver to take control of the assets of the defendants for
             the benefit of investors.

                  According to the Commission's complaint, Funding
             Resource Group ("FRG"), Quentin D. Hix ("Hix"), Gene Coulter
             ("Coulter"), Steven C. Roberts ("Roberts"), MVP Network,
             Inc., a/k/a MVP Network (Trust) ("MVP"), FMCI Trust
             ("FMCI"), Funders Marketing Company, Inc. ("Funders"),
             Raymond G. Parr ("Parr"), Willard Vearl Smith ("Smith").
             Earl D. McKinney ("McKinney"), Fortune Investments, Ltd.
             ("Fortune"), Robert Cord, a/k/a Robert F. Schoonover, Jr.
             ("Cord"), Winterhawk West Indies Ltd. ("Winterhawk"), IGW
             Trust ("IGW"), Carolyn Don Hicks ("Hicks") and Carl LaDane
             Weaver ("Weaver"), raised $14 million by telling investors
             that these programs were successful, that their funds were
             completely secured by guarantees issued by banks or
             insurance companies, and that the investments would generate
             returns between 6% and 18% per month.   In fact, according
             to the complaint, the trading programs did not exist, there
             were no such guarantees, and these defendants used most of
             the investor funds for their own benefit and the benefit of
             the relief defendants, Howe Financial Trust ("Howe") and
             Treds Financial Trust ("Treds"), and for payments to other
             investors (ponzi payments).

                  The Commission has also requested a preliminary
             injunction against FRG, Hix, Coulter, Roberts, MVP, FMCI,
             Funders, Parr, Smith, McKinney, Fortune, Cord, Winterhawk,
             IGW, Hicks and Weaver from future violations of Sections
             5(a), 5(c) and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and
             Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and
             Rule 10b-5 thereunder.  The Court has not yet scheduled a
             hearing on the Commission's motion for preliminary
             injunction.   The Commission, in its complaint, ultimately
             seeks permanent injunctions against these defendants from
             future violations, as well as disgorgement of all unlawfully
             obtained profits from them and the relief defendants, with
             prejudgment interest, and civil penalties against each
             defendant.

                  The Commission also wishes to acknowledge the valuable
             assistance of  the Texas State Securities Board, as well as
             the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI in the Southern
             District of Texas in Houston.