A Baltimore man is facing a up to 240 years in prison forrunning a $23 million tax fraud operation and engaging in a schemeto obtain more than $3 million in loans from four Maryland credit unions.

A federal jury in U.S. District Court in Baltimore convictedMakushamari Gozo on July 31 of 18 counts of making a false claimand five counts of bank fraud.

From July 2010 to September 2010, federal prosecutors said Gozoengaged in a scheme to defraud four credit unions to obtainfraudulent automobile and business loans.

He submitted loan applications to four credit unions to buyluxury automobiles, but Gozo never bought them, prosecutorssaid.

On the loan applications, Gozo made false statements about hisincome and employment to make himself appear like a successfulbusinessman and to persuade the credit unions to approve the loanapplications.

Court documents show Gozo applied for a $27,500 auto loan withthe $2.6 billion State Employees Credit Union of Maryland in Linthicum; a$28,794 auto loan with the $318 million Signal Financial Federal Credit Union in Kensington; a $35,109auto loan with the $415 million Cedar Point Federal Credit Union, and a $35,109 auto loan withthe $394 million APL Federal Credit Union in Laurel.

Federal prosecutors also said Gozo submitted a fraudulent loanapplication to Signal Financial FCU for a $3 million business loanin the name of one of his sham companies. With his business loanapplication, Gozo attached several false corporate tax returnsclaiming that his company controlled millions of dollars inassets.

Gozo also was convicted of claiming more than $23 million infraudulent alternative fuel tax credits and refunds and personaltax refunds.

He received over $370,000 in fraudulent federal tax refunds andcaused the IRS to issue checks for more than $12 million in taxcredits and refunds for alternative fuel that he falsely claimedhis sham companies had purchased, according to federalprosecutors.