U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


          Litigation Release No. 16145 / May 14, 1999

          U.S. v. RANDALL SMITH KUHLMANN, et al. 97-CR-2871H (S.D. Cal.)

               The  U.S.  Attorney  for the Southern District of California
          and  the Securities and Exchange  Commission  announced  that  on
          April  19, 1999, Judge Marilyn Huff sentenced Randall Kuhlmann to
          60 months  in  prison  in  connection  with  a  scheme to defraud
          investors  in  Amtel  Communications,  Inc.  Kuhlmann  and  David
          Darling pled guilty to fraudulently inducing  potential investors
          to  invest  in  Amtel’s  sale-leaseback  pay  telephone  program.
          Darling was sentenced on January 11, 1999.

               The criminal charges against Kuhlmann and  Darling are based
          on the same activities alleged in a civil action  brought  by the
          Commission  on  July  17,  1995,  against  Amtel,  Kuhlmann,  and
          Darling.  The Commission alleged that the defendants raised $51.4
          million  from investors by selling pay telephones, contracting to
          lease the  pay telephones for $50 per month, and repurchasing the
          pay telephones  at  the  original cost when the lease terminated.
          Amtel also conducted a Ponzi  scheme, whereby investors were paid
          returns from new investor money.

               For further information, please see Litigation Release Nos.
          LR-15547, LR-14713, and LR-16040.