Grundy County businessman convicted of defrauding investors in $130 million scheme

CHICAGO - A federal jury in Chicago delivered a guilty verdict on Friday against a Grundy County businessman for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that aimed to raise over $130 million from more than 500 investors.

Kenneth D. Courtright, 53, of Minooka, was convicted on seven counts of wire fraud.

Prosecutors say Courtright was the owner and operator of Today's Growth Consultant, Inc., which operated under the name The Income Store. Courtright's company claimed to build or acquire websites for investors.

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From 2015 to 2019, he schemed to defraud investors by making false promises of providing them with a guaranteed income stream, according to prosecutors. These promises included either 50% of the advertising revenue generated by the websites, or a monthly equivalent of at least 15% of the upfront fee paid by the investors.

Courtright supported these guarantees through fraudulent claims that his company was financially healthy, prosecutors said. However, the returns paid to investors were primarily funded through funds raised from new investors.

Courtright is due in court on Oct. 4 for sentencing. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.