DOJ: $1.4M of COVID-19 relief funds stolen, Clovis man sentenced
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A 48-year-old man from Clovis was sentenced on Monday following the theft of $1.4 million worth of COVID-19 relief money, according to the federal Department of Justice.
Prosecutors say 48-year-old Ruben Mireles owned and operated a contracting business in Kings County, originally called Vista Pacific Labor Solutions Inc. (VPLS), then changed its name to Calzona Ag Management Inc., doing business as Vista Pacific Farm Management (CAM).
According to court documents, Mireles applied for a COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for $1.4 million from the Small Business Administration under the CAM business. Then in April 2021, he applied for another PPP loan for $1.4 million based on false information under the VPLS business name.
The Department of Justice states that, in the second application, Mireles reported that VPLS was a separate company from CAM when they were the same company. He also reported in the second application that he had not received any other PPP loans. Federal prosecutors also say he reported that he was not subject to any pending criminal charges when he was facing state fraud charges.
On Monday, Mireles was sentenced to one year in prison.
