Businessman from Clovis used farm labor company to steal $1.4 million in relief money

A Clovis business man applied for, and received, $1.4 million in COVID-19 relief money for his company in 2021, despite having already received a $1.4 million loan from the Paycheck Protection Program that same year.

Ruben Mireles pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.

Court documents show the 48-year-old Mireles owned and operated Vista Pacific Labor Solutions, a farm labor contracting business in Kings County. The company changed its name to Calzona Ag Management Inc. and began doing business as Vista Pacific Farm Management.

In January 2021, Mireles applied and received an initial $1.4 million from the Small Business Administration under the Calzona Ag Management name.

Four months later, he applied for another loan under the company’s old name.

In that application, Mireles falsely represented Vista Pacific Labor Solutions as a separate company, according to the U.S. Attorney. He also said that he had not received any other PPP loans and that he was not subject to pending criminal charges.

He was actually facing state fraud charges at the time, the U.S. Attorney said.

Mireles is scheduled for sentencing Feb. 20 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.