Chicago area man sentenced for scam with victims in Wisconsin

(AP) — A Chicago area man will serve nearly six years in federal prison for a nationwide scam that included five victims in Wisconsin.

The U.S. Attorney's office for eastern Wisconsin says 55-year-old Gregory Kuczora of Elgin, Illinois, was sentenced this week for wire fraud.

The Green Bay branch of the FBI began investigating after learning that several residents of Marinette County paid Kuczora about $100,000 in up-front fees in exchange for "guaranteed" business loans. Prosecutors say Kuczora set up a sham organization known as "Kensington Capital Partners," which he said was based in London but actually was a rented mailbox.

The FBI investigation found that Kuczora defrauded 68 people of about $1.2 million. Kuczora used the money to pay his family's living expenses.

The judge ordered him to pay full restitution.